It's all over the news that USC researches have hacked a Kinect camera system to play World of Warcraft, and the software and instructions to replicate their feat are available for free download. The USC researchers are saying that the FAAST software they've written can also be used to adapt other computer games to accept input from body movements to trigger functions that would otherwise be triggered by a mechanical controller like a keyboard or joystick.
Other applications for the concept may include rehabilitation and physical therapy exercises for the physically disabled and may help solve our national childhood obesity problem by giving youngsters a way to exercise during the otherwise sedentary activity of computer gaming.
Motorola has launched the second version of their CLIQ/DEXT Smartphone, with CLIQ being the CDMA version to be released to the US market while the DEXT is the European GSM model.
Running either the Android 2.2 Froyo or Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating systems, with an upgrade to Android 3.0 Honeycomb planned, this handset corresponds to the CLIQ 2 or de DEXT 2.
The devices offer a full slide out keyboard with a capacitive tactile screen. The screen will take up the top half of the device while a full keyboard for messaging will be located on the bottom half.
Compatible with 2G/3G/Wi-Fi networks for both voice and data communications, it will also come with a GPS navigation chip, electronic compass, 5 mega pixel camera with LED Flash on the back and multimedia player with mini-jack for the headphones.
The new devices are likely to be presented at the CES show in Las Vegas.
According to Wall Street Journal, Viewsonic is organizing the launch of a 4-inch Android tablet during the Consumer Electronics Show this coming week.
The device, which hasn’t been christened with a name yet, is said to have a 4-inch touchscreen display, and it will run Android. ViewSonic's tablet is reportedly run on a 4G network and will also place phone calls.
Even though the ViewSonic tablet/phone hybrid device is supposed to have support for 4G networks, it’s unclear which ones this will involve.
Verizon Wireless recently launched its 4G LTE network, Sprint offers a 4G WiMAX network, and T-Mobile also markets its HSPA+ 4G network.
ViewSonic says that it will unveil two other tablets as well.
Only two weeks after the release of an Android browser based on the features of its popular Maxthon browser for PCs, Maxthon International announced its second release of Maxthon Mobile.
The update provides Maxthon Mobile with two major functions -- the synchronization of cross-platform information, and new finger gestures to let users control their mobile browsing without having to search for tiny buttons.
The synchronization feature allows users to manipulate data, such as contacts and favorites, from any Maxthon platform on PC or an Android phone. A user, for example, can use Maxthon on his PC to sort a collection of contacts by phone area code. When he opens the same contacts using Maxthon Mobile on his phone, the contacts will be in the same order as on the computer.
Maxthon Mobile also uses gestures on a touchscreen to control the browser. For example, to close a page tab, the user draws a "c" (Close). To create a new tag, he draws an "n" (New).
The new mobile browser is the result of a dialog between Maxthon developers and users, which is how Maxthon discovered that users wanted a touch screen "undo" gesture to reopen a tab they had closed inadvertently. The new gesture is a reverse "c," the opposite of the gesture to close a tab.
Maxthon Mobile and the PC versions Maxthon 2 and Maxthon 3 are free and may be downloaded from software download sites for phone and computer, and from Maxthon.
ESCORT is presenting the new PASSPORT iQ, the world's first and only integrated radar detector and GPS NAV driving accessory, at the 2011 CES Digital Experience on January 5th (7 – 9 PM, Caesars Palace) during CES 2011.
PASSPORT iQ establishes the standard for protecting consumers from unwanted tickets and guiding them safely to their destination.
PASSPORT iQ is based on ESCORT's test-winning PASSPORT 9500ix GPS-enabled radar and laser detector. The new PASSPORT iQ takes the driver interface for radar detection to a higher level by presenting a user-friendly choice of visual and audio alerts while offering easy-to-read 3D maps, voice-guided turn-by-turn directions and lane-assist—all of which provide comprehensive directions and updates for driving anywhere, anytime. The intelligent iQ can notify drivers if they go over posted speed limits. Red light cameras and speed traps appear on-screen over their mapped location.
Celebrities have visited the Duracell Mobile Smart Power Lab to help in the final Pedal for Energy collection that will light the 2011 numerals during the New Year's Eve Ball drop ceremony in Times Square.
Since the Smart Power Lab opened November 30, thousands of consumers and an array of celebrity pedalers have ridden Power Rovers to generate energy, to help power the 2011 numerals for at least the first 30 minutes of the New Year.
Throughout the month of December, Duracell hosted a variety of VIP events throughout the city, including the Broadway district, Meatpacking district, Madison Square Park and Times Square, providing New Yorkers and tourists alike with the chance to help power the 2011 numerals.
Duracell's mobile Smart Power Lab helped to continue the brand's tradition of providing people in New York City the opportunity to participate in the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square by donating their power to help light the 2011 numerals when the Ball drops at midnight.
With each push of the pedal on one of its Power Rovers, human energy was captured, converted into usable power, and stored in Duracell Batteries. The energy's journey will end at One Times Square, where, with the eyes of the world watching, the trusted power of Duracell will light up the 2011 numerals as the New Year's Eve Ball drops and the clock strikes midnight. Along with visiting the mobile Smart Power Lab during its stops around the city, people also visited Duracell's Smart Power Lab in the Times Square Visitor's Center to contribute energy.
Consumers outside of the New York City area can share in the experience by visiting Facebook.com/Duracell. Site visitors can find updates of the power collection, view photos of the Power Rovers and more.
Copia announced that at CES 2011 multiple top tier OEMs will feature its platform on their tablets and mobile devices.
By combining social networking and eBooks sales, Copia expands the parameters of the book as we know it. Readers can purchase books, highlight passages, take notes and share them, as well as comment on other users' entries. A book can exist both in its original published form and become a mutating work as comments are added and different views are expressed.
Powered by its unique patent-pending collaborative annotation tool, Copia is redefining how the world interacts with books, allowing readers - regardless of location and on multiple devices - to instantly share thoughts and create discussions in the margins of their open eBooks.
For students, the note-sharing functionality coupled with Copia's accessibility across multiple digital touch points is nothing short of a revolution in studying. Professors can highlight books for their class, students can share notes, and authors can release special annotated editions.
Currently, Copia is available for Android, Mac, PC and iPad. Visit TheCopia.com to learn more.
Max Borges Agency, the number one public relations and social media agency with a 100 percent focus on consumer electronics and technology, announces its broadcast and editorial division, Tech Launch Pad. The new division will be broadcasting more than 50 segments live from the 2011 CES show floor ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and CW affiliates across the country.
“Tech Launch Pad is another way for us to provide the best possible service to the media,” says Max Borges, Max Borges Agency President. “Through our broadcast and editorial division, we’re able to bring the best of 2011 CES to consumers that might otherwise never experience the excitement that is CES.”
Tech Launch Pad is taking submissions from companies launching new technologies at the show. To have your new product/service considered, please email [email protected]. You can see the action live at the Tech Launch Pad booth at the 2011 CES in the North Hall, iLounge Pavilion, Booth #5325.
With Casio's new CTK-7000 and WK-7500 you can capture those moments of creativity so they’ll never get lost. Featuring a powerful 17-track sequencer, you can even edit and tweak your performances enabling you to turn out broadcast ready, professional tracks.
The CTK-7000 and WK-7500 provide 800 world class tones organized by category in a new easy-to-use interface. Dynamic stereo pianos,vintage electric pianos, strings, drums and a wealth of synths and acoustic instruments are at your fingertips. Each of those 800 voices can be edited with control over filters, envelopes and more. For added depth and realism, an extensive set of DSP effects are available to enhance these tones, providing you with pure inspiration at your fingertips.
Once you’ve created your masterpiece you can save your song file to an SDHC card. Better yet, you can save it as an audio recording. That’s right, these new keyboards can mix down internally and save your new song to an SDHC card as an audio file. This allows you to share your music with the world. Utilizing CASIO’s free DATA Manager 6.0 computer software your recording can be converted into a .WAV file, so you can burn your song to a CD, put it in your favorite music player, send it to friends or a record producer. Making music and sharing it has never been this easy or affordable.
Samsung Electronics announced the launch of the NX11 - the latest addition to the NX family of cameras. The NX11 contains a feature set similar to Samsung’s first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the NX10, however the NX11 is also compatible with the new i-Function lens that was introduced for the NX100. The NX11 will come complete with an 18-55mm i-Function lens, as well as two new i-Function lenses, a 20mm pancake and a 20-50mm zoom silver color lens.
The i-Function lens puts the perfect picture at the fingertips of all photographers by providing an exceptionally easy way of controlling the camera.
The new i-Function system allows photographers to naturally use their left hand to change the camera’s advanced settings via a button built into the i-Function lens, without needing to take the camera off the target.
Users can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO quickly and easily by simply using the i-Function button or ring on the lens, meaning easier and quicker configurations while shooting.
The NX11 also focuses on usability, with a change in the grip design to make shooting easier and more comfortable for users. Additionally, the NX11 has a lens priority mode dial, simplifying the search for the best mode for each lens.
The camera makes taking great landscape scenes or pictures of large groups simple by featuring a panorama mode, which allows the user to take panoramic pictures in one press-and-sweep motion. As with the NX10, the NX11 uses the best-in-class APS-C sensor for better image quality. The APS-C sensor is larger than Micro 4/3 and delivers high quality images with ease.
