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The hoverboard has arrived (video)
Let's just hope some Chinese company thinks it's real and "copies" it to make one that actually works.
Back to the future: Nike designer touts 2015 arrival for Marty McFly's Power Laces
Back in 2011, Nike MAGs brought the futuristic looks of Marty McFly to the feet of sneaker collectors. There was just one problem: the fashionably-lit footwear from Back to the Future II was lacking its key feature. Well, now it seems that the iconic Power Laces will finally arrive in 2015. Nike designer Tinker Hatfield confirmed that the closure is on the way next year at a recent appearance at the Jordan Brand's Flight Lab. "Are we gonna see Power Laces in 2015? To that, I say yes!," Hatfield said. In case you've forgotten, the pair of MAGs in the movie were all the rage in 2015, so the schedule lines up. As the folks over at Sole Collector note, the question remains whether we'll see a new Power Lace-equipped version of the MAGs or if the add-on will arrive on a completely new model that laces itself. If you're not into waiting or high-tech sneakers, the 2011 release is currently available on eBay for around $8,000.
ZBoard will sell you Marty McFly's hoverboard, minus the hover (video)
It's your kids, Marty! Something has got to be done about your kids! They get to October 21st, 2015, and they don't have any flying cars, hoverboards and, even worse, Jaws 19 still hasn't started production! That's why ZBoard has decided to take our destiny into its own hands to create a limited-edition Back To The Future Part II-inspired version of its electric, weight-sensing skateboard. The ZBoard Hoverboard comes in a delightful shade of Mattel-inspired pink and will travel 20 miles on land, as long as you've got enough jiggawatts. A limited run of 25 boards is being produced, with the profits going to the Michael J. Fox foundation for Parkinson's Research, with each one setting you back $1,500 on Indiegogo -- while 50 more can just pick up the custom deck for a regular ZBoard for $200. There's a video or two after the break, but be warned -- some people may drop the odd expletive when they get their hands on a hoverboard.
Uber to offer DeLorean rides in SF this weekend only, time travel not included
If you're a Back to the Future fanatic who wasn't able to snag a DeLorean on eBay or hitch a ride in a time-traveling taxi cab, then you might want to head to the City by the Bay this weekend. Uber has partnered with GE as part of the latter's Brilliant Machines campaign to offer rides in, yes, a DeLorean, but only in San Francisco and only for the following three days. They'll be operational some time between 12 to 9pm on Friday and between 12 to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday -- you'll know a DeLorean is available if you see an option pop up on the app (as seen in the screenshot after the break). However, Uber told us there'll only be four of them on the road. Due to the limited availability, you're restricted to just 15 minutes per trip and only one passenger per vehicle. The company's pulled publicity ploys like this before -- remember the ice cream trucks and those $3,000 helicopter rides? -- but we have to admit this one makes our inner Marty McFly smile. So if you're feeling lucky, take a trip to SF and try your hand at hailing one of these 1.21-gigawatt-powered beauties. Be sure to ask the driver if he can reach 88MPH. [Image credit: Maile Kraus, Twitter]
Unleash your inner Marty McFly with Lego's Back to the Future set
Back to the Future fans have waited with bated breath since Lego announced that it would soon rock their worlds with a fan-designed Cuusoo set, and now, we finally have a release date. On August 1st, Lego's Back to the Future Time Machine will go on sale for $34.99 from select retailers, but an extremely limited quantity can be found at San Diego Comic Con, going on right now. The set includes our favorite time travelers (complete with Marty McFly's cheeky grin and Doc Brown's gravity-defying mane) and a DeLorean that can be customized to resemble the three different models from the trilogy. We have to say . . . Legos are cool and all, but we're still holding out for a fully functional hoverboard.
Back to the Future DeLorean reaches Lego form in mid-2013, likely won't reach 88MPH (video)
Team BTTF has been pushing for months to get a Lego rendition of Back to the Future's AMC DeLorean as an official kit. Persistence pays off: Lego's Summer Review has approved the two-person group's project as its next Cuusoo set, both for its realistically affordable design and in response to the "massive appeal" fostered when geek culture took notice. While we don't know how closely the design will follow the templates created by M. Togami and Sakuretsu, it's safe to say there will be a brick-based (and sadly non-functional) Mr. Fusion in the mix. We'll have to wait until mid-2013 to buy a set for ourselves; that's arguably early when Back to the Future II won't take place for another two years.
Visualized: DeLorean hovercraft cruises around McCovey Cove, wins the internet
What do you get when you multiply a crazy Make project with a Kickstarter fund? You get the answer to our childhood dreams, that's what.
Delorean Electric travels back in time to the basement of the New York International Auto Show
Yes we've seen it before but, with a cheeky license plate like that, we couldn't resist stopping by to ogle it again. It's the DMCev and, while it's been in the cards for quite some time now, it's finally getting close to production. Delorean Motor Company president Stephen Wynn was on-hand to demo the machine and give a few nuggets of information. DMC will be assembling the car in Houston, TX ahead of planned deliveries in 2013 with a cost of $95,000. For that you can get a 100 mile range, 0 - 60 time of 4.9 seconds and stainless steel body panels that almost, almost match the color of the plastic nose and tail sections. Sure, $95k may seem like a lot for an electric refresh of a 30-year-old car, but unlike other overpriced pieces of 1985 memorabilia this one actually works.
Western Union debuts WUPay digital platform, misses the point of convenience entirely
Modernization's not for everyone -- just take a look at Western Union. That 19th century institution's finally getting its virtual act together, introducing a new digital payments platform today, dubbed WU Pay, that sadly does not involve laundering dough through the late, great ODB's hip hop clan. No, this forward-facing system, built upon its eBillme acquisition, takes a backwards approach, eschewing direct payment options for something more circuitous. Customers that opt-in for the service at checkout from any number of partnered merchants, like Kmart or Sears, won't have to link to their credit card accounts or even offer up any financial info. Instead, once the item is purchased, they'll receive a bill via email that can then be paid online or at one of the company's brick-and-mortar sites. Sound unnecessary to you? We sure agree. Now if only this innovation involved Marty McFly and Jason Alexander personally delivering those funds -- that's a service overhaul we can get behind. Check out the PR after the break.
Mattel's hoverboard keeps McFly planted on terra firma, away from water
There's no need to worry: your eyes aren't deceiving you, and the year most certainly isn't 2015. Still, that isn't stopping Mattel from teasing the iconic hoverboard at the New York Toy Fair. First made famous by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II, the product became something of Hollywood lore when the movie's director, Robert Zemeckis, insisted the contraption was real. While the claim later proved to be a prank, the desire for a genuine hoverboard has lived on. Now, following in the footsteps of McFly's MAG shoes from Nike, Mattel suggests it'll begin accepting preorders for the hoverboard replica next month. While the toy doesn't actually fly (but rather glides), it's said to emit a whooshing sound so that riders can pretend they're surfing through the air. Should Mattel solicit enough interest, the product will ship by year's end -- otherwise the company will merely scrap the idea and return to churning out Barbies.
DeLorean DMC-12 EV eyes-on at CES (update: video of its show floor exit)
This isn't the first time that the DMC-12 DeLorean EV has graced Engadget's pages, and we feel certain it won't be the last. However, we know how much you love Doc Brown's ride, and when we saw it on the show floor we had to snap some pics for your viewing pleasure. So head on down to the gallery below to see the electrified version of Hill Valley's most famous whip inside and out.Dante Cesa contributed to this report.Update: And now we've got a video of the DeLorean leaving the show floor. Check it out after the break. Thanks, Angel.
Electric DeLorean DMC-12 prototype goes round and round (and round) in test drive video
It's already clear that you're selling everything you own in an effort to purchase a 2013 DeLorean DMC-12 EV (and in turn, apply for a home tax deduction when you begin to live out of it), but what hasn't been clear is exactly how it'd perform on the wide open road. Truthfully, we still aren't entirely certain of that, but thanks to a raucous new video of a prototype on the track, we do know that it looks like the most (PG) fun you can have while sitting atop four wheels. We aren't going to hold you here any longer -- hop on past the break and mash play. 60mph in 4.9. 88mph in however long you want.
DeLorean DMC-12 EV announced for 2013 production, Doc Brown's whip gets real... electric
An electric-powered, production DeLorean? Believe it. It's in part thanks to the eponymously dubbed DeLorean Motor Company of Texas (not to be confused with long defunct DMC), which is known for its modernized restorations of the famed auto -- using original parts with slight modifications incorporating newer accoutrement. The automaker took to its blog this weekend announcing a partnership with Epic EV to make this "all-electric" DMC-12 a reality. Your Houston News reports that it's rated for 260 horsepower with a maximum speed of 125MPH -- although, we all know there's no need to go past 88MPH. It's expected to cost about six-figures, which sadly won't include a Flux Capacitor, but you could always run the app for that with its in-console iPhone holster. The DMC-12 EV is set to be released in 2013, and should be an excellent match for anyone who secured some of those Marty McFly-approved Nike Air Mags a few weeks ago. You'll find full details in the links below.
Prototype magic carpet uses electrified threads to 'fly,' Aladdin pre-orders (video)
If you spent your childhood longing to fly, you're not alone -- and one Princeton grad may have come one step closer to making it a reality with a prototype magic carpet. Ok, it's not actually a rug of the magical variety, but a 4-inch piece of plastic electrified by tiny conducting threads. It works as such: by applying a current to the sheet, tiny air pockets form underneath, propelling it forward one centimeter a second. Since it requires air pockets to move forward, the carpet must stay close to the ground -- making it more like Marty McFly's hoverboard than Aladdin's preferred mode of transportation. Better yet, the inventor has plans for a solar powered version, which would free the carpet from heavy battery constraints and allow it to travel freely over larger distances. Check out the video and source after the break for more deets.
Nike unveils the 2011 MAG shoe, to auction off 1500 pairs of the coolest kicks in Hill Valley for charity
You remember the first time you saw Back to the Future II, don't you? We all dreamed of a world filled with hoverboards and self-lacing shoes, and now Nike's made the latter a reality... sort of. Marty McFly's favorite high tops are now called the 2011 Nike MAGs and look just like the kicks in the movie, though it appears that you'll have to lace 'em up the old-fashioned way. They'll only be on sale during a ten-day period starting tonight at 8:30PM Pacific Standard Time, and no amount of flux-capacitation can score you a pair if you miss that window. 150 sets of shoes will be auctioned on eBay's Fashion Vault each day (sorry, US bidders only), and all the net proceeds will go to The Michael J. Fox Foundation to further Parkinson's research. Not only that, all the money made will be doubled through matching contributions. Nice job, Nike, now about those hoverboards...
Nike teases Back to the Future shoes, creepily leaks the contents of Marty McFly's closet (video)
What's this? Nike is rounding up shoe-nerds (and Back to the Future fans) to taunt them with futuristic metal shield glasses, 1980s candy, and a personal messages from Doc Brown? Could this shoe-filled YouTube tease (uploaded by DocEmmettBrown88) mean that Nike is bringing nerdom's coolest kicks back from the future? Probably. After all, you don't patent power-laces just to make a normal shoe, do you? [Thanks, Rob]
RC car runs on soda can rings, Doc Brown approves (video)
Many a future engineer was inspired by Back to the Future's Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, and not just because he proved that unkempt eccentrics could truly change the world. No, he also pioneered Mr. Fusion, the coffee maker/cold fusion reactor that turned garbage into energy. And while we're still waiting for cold fusion and time travel to become a reality, today we're all one step closer to waste-powered cars. A pair of Spanish engineers have recently unveiled the dAlH2Orean (see what they did there?), a R/C car that runs on aluminum. Dropping a few soda can tabs into a tank of sodium hydroxide produces enough hydrogen to power the little speedster for 40 minutes – at almost 20mph. Hit the video above to see it in action, along with your daily helping of the Chemical Brothers. Fitting.
Flash Rods' DeLorean hard drive: $250, 500 jigabytes!
Is a full-size DeLorean (time machine or otherwise) a bit out of your budget? Then you might want to consider Flash Rods' latest 1:18 scale replica, which not only faithfully reproduces the DeLorean Time Machine (complete with Mr. Fusion reactor from Back to the Future II), but actually packs a 500GB Seagate hard drive inside to give you some justification for actually having it on your desk. Of course, it will cost a considerable premium over a regular 500GB hard drive, but we can certainly think of plenty of worse ways to spend $250.
Blu-ray releases on October 26th 2010
Yeah, we know, they don't hold up when you go back and watch them again, but that doesn't mean we don't won't to buy the Back To The Future trilogy on Blu-ray this week and enjoy 'em in HD for the first time all over again. You know you're thinking the same thing, and besides, it isn't like there is much else out there for the HD geek this week to really get excited about -- or are we missing something. Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy (Universal) Alien Anthology (Fox) Altitude (Anchor) Dancing Across Borders (First Run) Earth & Space (A&E) Elf (Ultimate Collector's Edition) (New Line) The Girl Who Played with Fire (Music Box Films) House (Criterion) How the Earth Was Made: Complete Season 1 (A&E) Judges (E1) Legend of the Black Scorpion (Dragon Dynasty) Los Angeles Lakers: 2010 NBA Finals Series (Image) Maniac (Blue Underground) National Geographic: Dawn of the Ocean (National Geographic) NFL: Ultimate NFL (Warner) Paths of Glory (Criterion) Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express (Acorn) Santa Claus: The Movie (Lionsgate) Score (Cult Epics) Sex and the City 2 (New Line) Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection (Acorn) South of the Border (Cinema Libre) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (The Complete Season Two (Warner) Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes (Warner) Winter's Bone (Lionsgate) World War II: 360 (A&E)
Universal lets loose a few Back to the Future Blu-ray teasers (video)
We're still more than a month shy of the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy pack shipping on Blu-ray, but if you just can't wait HighDefDiscNews points out a few snippets of special features Universal's posted on YouTube. Check out the videos (embedded after the break) for a couple minutes of making-of talk from the director and producer, a clip focusing on Christopher Lloyd's performance and (spoiler alert!) the scene where George McFly punches out Biff in the first movie. Unfortunately the clips are only in 480p here, but that does leave us with something to wait a few more weeks for.
