iPad-controlled blimp is one magical dirigible (video)
By Tim Stevens 
posted May 19th 2010 9:21AM
posted May 19th 2010 9:21AM
posted May 19th 2010 9:21AM
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i want one
@mathie
I had a plastic remote helicopter that did this about 15 years ago.
Magical.
@rutter9
And this crap will only only work indoors, and you can't see the screen if it's dark. Whoopee. I was expecting/hoping for someone in the crowd to pop it.
@Apple Google Microsoft You can see the screen in the dark. It's direct sunlight that causes awkwardness
@Tehkseven4evee
Oh no I meant you can't see the camera view of the blimp at night. Which defeats the point of the ipad. LOL so it will be hard to see the actual ipad screen in bright light and the camera view in low light...
@mathie
Could any phone not do this?
You guys are dense. It's not like this is a feature touted by Apple, it's just some guys that decided to do something fun. Of course it can be done by other phones... That's hardly the point. :\
@Chibi Chaingun
It's almost like they take any news that puts an Apple product in a positive light personally.
@mathie
I made one in 6th grade for a science fair using and old RC car and a weather balloon with the frame made of wood. its alright to make but isn't really useful outdoors
You could do this with a WiiRemote.
Smaller, cheaper, user-replacable battery.
@Kamalot
you "can", but since this thing has a camera on board, you want a mid/smartphone/tablet with a screen to control
@account5
+1000
LOOOL
@qbgabe12
ORLY? How do you think they're getting the video transferred to the iPad? There's a computer in the background doing the hosting.
@Ken J
Or not, my bad. Guess they've magically unlocked linking a camera to the iPad OS?
@Kamalot
You could probably do this easier on a N900.
Anyway,
It's the blimp Frank, it's the Blimp! Tits tits, the blimp! The blimp!
@Kamalot why does he wears Jobs' get up? Or is a clone?
@Ken J It's probably a wireless network camera, meaning the host on the network is the iPad.
don't need an ipad to do that.
that is sad pure apple advertising.
DING DONG people...
*cry*
so... I'm sure mobile phones can already do this or similar.
By the by, today I saw the first people using an iPad at a cafe while they were having their latte. It looks nice. Really nice! But the way they used it was odd. They hovered over, literally, while they were using it. The girl hovered over the table for a good 40 minutes while waiting for her BF to arrive. Then they took turns hovering over it. It just felt awkward.
Great looking device though.
@ounkeo
Spotted my first one yesterday on the London tube. guy was getting on the tube but it looked awkward...like he was about to drop it any second. Not sure I'd have it out on the tube with me. He seemed to be reading a book.
NEXT: Dart gun controlled by Android tablet.
How the heck is he getting the video stream on the iPad. I've been trying to do something similar with a backup camera and an iPad, but I just can't figure it out...
@Snoboarder2k6
You need to dress like Steve Jobs like that guy. Then it'll work.
@Snoboarder2k6 well your first mistake is trying to get the ipad to do something useful... but its probably a wireless webcam running to webcam app on the ipad that allows you to access it over the interwebz ... maybe, idk
How can the ipad receive wireless video signals??? Does it need an adapter or something?? Whoever can explain simply first wins a "magical and revolutionary" gift.
@Tehkseven4evee
that has nothing to do with "video signals"
it's just "digital data" transmission over a socket...
@qlimax it says wireless though- nothing got to do with socket!
@Tehkseven4evee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model#Examples
you need to study...
Utterly useless but damn entertaining.. just exactly what Apple fan boys love lol
That's how my friends and I party all the time. Nothing to see here.
You guys just had to slip the word "humanity" into a blimp story, eh?
@NHAnimator Yeah...
@account5
i think tablet would be better... bigger size provide finer control through accelerometer
Wow someone should make a video of digging holes in the ground with iPads or fanning themselves in a hot room. The could be the 2nd and 3rd pointless reasons to buy an iPad.
Why not just buy a mini blimp that comes with a remote control they are very cheap.
@fourthletter
bill hicks is one of my favorite comedians right with george carlin.
ohhhh. This is like how android did with robots -_-
It looks like it doesn't work
i know whats happening at my next loft party!!!!!!!!
*sigh* who am i kidding, i live with my parents
they would never approve of drunken blimpery
:(
I'm a Steve Jobs look-alike and the ipad blimp was my idea.
These developers dont seem to have any issues with Apple.
you spend 500 bucks to do this cr@p??!?!
how about someone modding ipad to run flash, now that would be news...
@annoynimous
Both blimps and Flash seem to be on the wane.
this really isn't that cool. anything programmable can be used to control ones arduino projects...
@mhunterjr Look you are missing the point. The ipad is doing it. See its magical and revolutionary now. Amazing isn't it.
@Robert Jordan ooohhh snappp!!! silly me... how'd i miss that magical tidbit of info. i take it back!!!!!!!!
This guy looks like a Steve Jobs wannabe douche-bag.
this is pretty amazing if you dont count that overpriced steering wheel the guy is using... Also, did the guy really need to dress up like steve jobs or is lack of style starting to catch on?
Wow does that guy look hokey using an iPad to control it. Since it used an accelerometer, just use the iPod Touch. Using the iPad accelerometer to control anthing including games looks ridicules from afar.
Ask your wife about an iPad and blowing up like a blimp....
@account5
iPod did it...
Oh wait!