Prince Charles delivers speech as hologram, still manages to bore

Proving once again that technology can only do so much to jazz up a boring presentation, a holographic version of Prince Charles recently delivered a pre-recorded speech on the environment to an Abu Dhabi audience, and no one seems interested enough to have taken a photo. Using only a single camera and projector, technicians from British firm Musion were able to employ a century-old trick known as "Pepper's ghost" to record the Prince of Wales speak at Highgrove last year and then rebroadcast the performance as a way to congratulate the Middle Eastern country on its plans to build a zero carbon city. Environmentalists note that this method reduces the amount of fuel wasted on transporting celebrities around the world, although until a critical mass of venues have installed the necessary equipment and personnel on site, it would seem that hauling the system's entire support staff and infrastructure around isn't really doing all that much to cut down on emissions.

[Thanks, Dirk L.]

[Carbonize @ Jan 22nd 2008 3:52AM]

Did his ears look like they were looming over you?

btw think you mean speech not speak. I think the Engadget copyrighter must be on strike in sympathy of the writers right now.

[LondonConsultant @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:08AM]

England's Prince Charles?... He's the Prince of Wales!

[Carbonize @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:18AM]

You forget that most Americans don't know any geography outside their own state. On the school walls they have a map of their state and outside that is writen "Here there be terrorists!".

[Jeremy W @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:27AM]

I think it's just a grammar issue. "England's Prince Charles" means that he's from England, not that he "rules" England. Of course, Evan Blass could certainly have thought he was the Prince of England, but the way he said it is still correct.

Don't let me get in the way of some America-bashing, though.

[IndiaTech @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:40AM]

Technically England's Prince is correct as he is still a son of a Queen and a Prince. He was invested the title Prince of Wales. Something like Prince Andrew, Duke of York or Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. He is a Prince by birth as well as investiture.

[IndiaTech @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:40AM]

Technically England's Prince is correct as he is still a son of a Queen and a Prince. He was invested the title Prince of Wales. Something like Prince Andrew, Duke of York or Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. He is a Prince by birth as well as investiture.

[asnozz @ Jan 22nd 2008 5:13AM]

Since the queen rules the whole of great britain and the commonwealth and as stated he is the prince of wales he is a british prince.

Im all for being recognized as english instead of the generic british, but he is a british prince (england is only a component of great britain).

[IndiaTech @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:16AM]

@asnozz
Technically incorrect usage. There are two types of royalty.
1. One which derive their right to rule from the land. Like King / Queen / Prince of England. They cannot be referred to as the English King / Queen / Prince.
2, One which they derive their right to rule from the people. EG: Belgian King. He cannot be called as King of Belgium.
Also, Charles is not a Prince of Great Britian since he is not a Prince in Scotland :)

[Cal @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:38PM]

That reminds me of a game on Call of Duty 4 the other day, me and a few mates (including a welshman) against a bunch of American teens, when they started talking out their arse we managed to shut them up simply by asking them where Wales is...

[harveyhanson @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:32AM]

There was a picture in the Metro, I saw it on the way to work, he looks like normal, just a bit more transparent!!!

[mattclarkie @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:38AM]

Damn these hippies.

I saw a programme yesterday about Ken Livingston. He is always carping on about Global Warming and cutting down emmissions, although largely as an excuse for the Congestion charge. Anyway he always travels with an enclave of around 100 people, and he flies across the globe with hundreds of people dozens of times a year.

These people probably just want us, Joe Public, to not fly so they don't have to fly with the plebs.

[mattclarkie @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:41AM]

Carbonize.

I had to rank you up because "Here be terrorists" was just the funniest thing I have seen in days.

Good show to you.

[Jag @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:56AM]

You mean Abu Dhabi, right? Abu Dubai doesn't exist.

[LondonConsultant @ Jan 22nd 2008 5:11AM]

Maybe Abu Dubai is on South Carolina's maps: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

[Taylor @ Jan 22nd 2008 5:09AM]

The Pepper's Ghost trick made by Musion was also used for some kick-ass gigs by animated band Gorillaz in '06.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=CRViE4N-u5Y

[D'Artagnan @ Jan 22nd 2008 5:27AM]

Shuddup you arrogant SUV-humping nobody Evan.

[Methanoid @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:10AM]

Geez, American "journalism" strikes again. "England's Prince Charles". WTF happened to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Prince Charles is a Prince of the UK you insular American plonkers. Engadget should do better!

[IndiaTech @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:33AM]

Before you comment, atleast try to get your facts straight.
Charles is NOT a Prince of Scotland or Northern Irland or even England.
In Scotland he is the Duke of Rothesay. He is NOT Prince of Scotland.
In England he is the Duke of Cornwall. Even though he is a Prince by birth.
He is Prince Charles, Prince of Wales in Northern Ireland.
He is NOT a Prince in ANY of the Commonwealth Realms.

[contreras @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:13AM]

Engalnd's prince? even if it is technically correct (I doubt it) I don't think the writer knew what he was talking about. And Abu Dubai??? if you are not sure, please check in wikipedia... AT LEAST

[Fred @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:17AM]

Wow. So those technological wizards from Musion managed to perform a trick that is being used in every theme park around the world, and has been used for over 140 years?

Where, exactly, does the word 'hologram' come in, Engadget?

[Elliot @ Jan 22nd 2008 7:28AM]

From Musion Eyeliner's marketing. It's hilarious.
http://www.eyeliner3d.com/

I bet Prince Charlie thought we was going to be in 3D. What a let down!
At least the original pepper's ghost is actually 3D because the reflection is of a person (and people are 3D btw)

[IndiaTech @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:22AM]

Abu Dubai. Capital of the UAE.

[StephenD @ Jan 22nd 2008 7:36AM]

England/Britain. This is something that the English and the Americans have in common - they are constantly using these two Geographies interchangeably as though they were the same thing.

Irregardless of where he is actually a Prince OF, the fact remains that Evan shouldn't have described him as "England's" anything.

[strider_mt2k @ Jan 22nd 2008 8:04AM]

HEY!
Manny Both-Hans died to bring you that informations, JERKS!

[DC @ Jan 22nd 2008 8:33AM]

I actually helped design/masterplan this new city.

[DC @ Jan 22nd 2008 8:38AM]

Al Madina Al Zarqa, aka the Blue City, Oman UAE.

Abu Dhabi.. Dubai..

If you're interested in zero carbon cities, you can take a look at something else I'm working on.. the Masdar Masterplan.

[AJ in the East Bay @ Jan 22nd 2008 9:23AM]

Wow, no Star Wars quotes yet? Well I'll start...

Prince Charles: "Help me Ryan Block, you're my only hope".

[Josh L @ Jan 22nd 2008 9:36AM]

Why does it matter what he is really the prince of if it's really just a charade anyway?

I could call him the prince of my balls and it wouldn't make any difference since he has no real power over my balls or Whales or England or anything else.

[Kojak Nutz @ Jan 22nd 2008 9:59AM]

Dude, this news is over a month old: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/displays/prince-charles-to-appear-as-hologram-in-world-future-energy-summit-334456.php ... I thought digg was for new material.

[Chris B @ Jan 22nd 2008 10:21AM]

I was there and I actually thought it was a pretty good speech. The hologram was cool but it was still easier to see him up on the big monitor. Since I didn't have a tripod all the pictures I took came out blurry, but I can take a screenshot of the video I have and send it in if you want... Send me an email if you want it.

And Carbonize - "Here there be terrorists" is hilarious!! I'm American and I should be offended (maybe??) but its too damn true and funny to care!

[bozzball @ Jan 22nd 2008 10:39AM]

Of course he's England's Prince... he was married to England's Rose.

[Josh L @ Jan 22nd 2008 11:15AM]

Pointing out the flaws in the logic of gullible environmentalists makes him an SUV-lover?

Oh, I forgot. The Church of Global Warming dictates that any dissension is to be met with immediate hostility and vitriol. Too bad he isn't a credible scientist with years of work and study so you could call for his resignation for the horrible crime of thinking for himself.

[V3LOCIP3D3 @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:29PM]

This could be an easy cure for stage fright . .

[Joe @ Jan 22nd 2008 3:01PM]

Prince Charles could make a speech on the evils of pornography with live hot models to demonstrate what not to look at and it would still put everyone to sleep, if not turn the heterosexuals gay.

[andres @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:13AM]

zero carbon, well, carbon is the building block of life, so will it be inhabited by robots? i for one welcome out zero carbon robot overlords
-sarcasm end.

[Enrique @ Jan 26th 2008 9:09AM]

The original link is http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1137942530/bclid1155254697/bctid1385266690.

The video was provided by Musion Systems Ltd.

To bad the journalist made such a lots of mistakes... back to school

[Matthew Ledger @ Feb 4th 2008 4:57PM]

Video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1137942530/bclid1155254697/bctid1385266690

[tom @ Feb 6th 2008 3:45AM]

Everybody was talking about whether or not he is from England and all I could think of was "Who THE FUCK CARES ABOUT ROYALTY??" Would be nice if they all died thought. Maybe a big bombing or something like that. I mean, we are talking about the fruit of hundreds of years of human suffering all over the world. Maybe they'll all get cancer, the inbred pieces of shit.
We can dream.