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Lip reading is still too hard for computers
Reading lips is a skill usually reserved for fictional spies or the hearing impaired, but researchers have spent years trying to gift the talent to computers, too. A device capable of automated lip-reading would certainly be a game changer, raising questions of personal privacy while simultaneously creating new opportunities in the accessibility and security industries. Don't get too nervous (or excited) though -- Ahmad Hassanat, a researcher at Mu'Tah University in Jordan, says we have a long way to go before machine eyes can tell what we're saying.
Lips belts out new DLC in February
While some publishers are dropping the music genre, others are keeping the faith. Here's the list of Lips DLC slated for the month of February.
Andrew Lloyd Webber classics coming to Lips
Finally, a video game will give you the opportunity to stand on your couch and sing "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" to your proletariat television below. Yes, Andrew Lloyd Webber songs are making their way to Lips. The tracks will cost 160 MS Points ($2) apiece and include some of the Broadway and West End master's greatest hits. Available August 13: "Memory" from Cats "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love Available September 10: "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from Evita "The Phantom of the Opera" from Phantom of the Opera "Any Dream Will Do" from Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat Considering the resurgence in musicals the last couple years, it's still surprising that the closest game to involve them is the Ubisoft hit Dance on Broadway.
'LIVE-a-palooza' discounting hundreds of music tracks on Xbox Live
Planning on honoring the grand American tradition of taking off Fourth of July week and playing rhythm/music games every day? You'll be glad to hear, then, that Microsoft is honoring the grand American tradition of offering up sales you just can't pass up -- more specifically, sales on gobs of DLC tracks for said rhythm/music games. 200-plus tracks are seeing price drops for as much as 50 percent, with content being discounted for Rock Band/Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero 5/Guitar Hero: World Tour, and every Lips title from July 6 - 12. We've got the entire list of tracks and track packs just after the break, you big independence celebrator, you.
Xbox Live Marketplace in May: Rocket Knight, Dragon Age DLC and more
You know that dusty piggy bank you've had sitting on the shelf forever? Look, forget the kid's college fund -- she's not going to college for, like, years -- and bust that thing open! There's going to be some solid content on Xbox Live Marketplace this month. In the mood for XBLA games? How does Rocket Knight or Zeno Clash tickle your fancy? Oh, so you want some DLC -- Dragon Age: Origins will have more to offer the tireless adventurer later this month. Want to learn the Secret of Monkey Island? During the week of May 17, the secret will be half-off. See what we mean? Head past the break for more XBLM release highlights for the month provided by Microsoft.
Lip reading mobiles are wunderbar, still at the prototype stage (video)
We came across this lip reading prototype during our exploration of the CeBIT 2010 halls, and while we're a bit tardy in bringing it to your attention, there's a certain timeless quality to strapping your face with wired sensors that transcends conventional restrictions of timeliness. That's our story anyway. Devised by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, it picks up the motion of speech (via electromyography) without requiring the sound, and then translates it into audible communication via a delightfully cold and robotic voice. The purposes of such a project are obvious -- from helping people who've lost their speech to making private telephone conversations actually private -- but the fun is in seeing someone use the thing in its current unrefined form. You'll be able to do that just past the break.
ESRB outs 'Lips: I (Heart) the 80s'
For those of you looking to put your '80s singing chops to the test, it would appear that iNiS will be offering you just that chance if a recent ESRB listing for a fourth installment in the Lips series is to be believed. "Lips: I (Heart) the 80s" was recently spotted by IGN over on the ratings website, sporting a description that reveals at least two tracks from the 1980s-centric title -- The Police's "Roxanne" and Rick James' "Super Freak." The game is also said to feature "depictions of men and women in revealing outfits performing provocative choreography -- for example, women in negligees, black bras, panties dancing inside a classroom; large amounts of exposed cleavage, some grinding dance moves; and background images of storefronts/signs reading '25 cent Peepshows,' 'Live Sex Theatre,' and 'Topless Girls Dancing.'" Gosh golly! Regardless, with the recent release of Lips: Party Classics and today's ESRB listing, we have to imagine the official announce of Lips: I (Heart) the 80s is just around the corner. We'll be prepping our boom boxes with plenty of Public Enemy until then. [Via IGN]
Lips Party Classics dated Feb. 26, Jan. DLC revealed [update: March 2 in US]
Update: February 26 is the European release date for Lips Party Classics. The game will release in the US on March 2. Microsoft has announced that Lips Party Classics, the next installment in the fledgling karaoke series, will land on the Xbox 360 on February 26. For those that missed the initial announcement, Party Classics contains some, ahem, classic party tunes from the likes of KISS, Chumbawamba and the Spice Girls. Microsoft has also revealed that Party Classics will support USB microphones in addition to the official wireless mics. In other Lips news, Microsoft has announced the song DLC for January. Perhaps not the best timing, given that January is nearly half over, but what are you gonna do? Check out a list of all of January's DLC after the break. All individual songs are 160 ($2) apiece. The Cardigans and Miracles song packs are 440 ($5.50) each.
New Music Games store arriving on Xbox Live today
enlarge with the power of rock (or just click) Microsoft has announced that it's rolling out the real Xbox Live Music Games stores. When the latest Dashboard Update rolled out earlier this year, this section was comprised solely of Xbox Live Marketplace entries for music game DLC, but now each game will be receiving its own themed store. So, if you want to pick up Rock Band or Guitar Hero tracks, you can open up the corresponding store and start browsing. Each store will also allow users to preview songs, so there's no need to fire up each game to see if you like a particular track. The stores should be going live sometime today, so keep an eye on the Music Marketplace section of the Xbox 360 dashboard. The games that will feature their own stores include Rock Band, Rock Band 2, The Beatles: Rock Band, LEGO Rock Band, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Band Hero, Lips and Lips: Number One Hits. Check out images of the new storefronts in the gallery below. %Gallery-80775%
Lips December DLC dated and detailed
After promising to reveal the December Lips DLC last week, we finally manged to wrangle a list from Microsoft. As is usually the case with Lips, the collection is runs everywhere from pop to Motown to ... wait, They Might Be Giants? And Violent Femmes? Truly, the Lips programming schedule is a mysterious thing. The entire list is located after the break, though we'll save you some suspense: Paula Abdul and The Temptations fans have a lot to be excited about. In fact, the Temptations tracks, as well as Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's "Baby It's Cold Outside" are available now.
Microsoft announces Lips: Party Classics, terrifying Facebook app
With Lips: Number One Hits just hitting retail shelves in October, Microsoft has now announced yet another edition of the game, this time themed around party songs. Entitled Lips: Party Classics, it features catchy tunes by the likes of Chumbawamba, Kiss, Spice Girls and, yes, the Village People. Party Classics will contain a total of 40 songs and launch in spring 2010. In other Lips news, Microsoft has released a Facebook app that allows users to plaster lips onto their pictures. The lips will then proceed to sing one of a number of tracks from Lips. Look at the image above and imagine that the lips are singing "Barbie Girl." That should give you a decent approximation of what to expect. See a sampling of the Party Classics track list after the break.
'The Supremes'-ly random Lips DLC for October
Stop! In the name of October's Lips DLC. Microsoft's karaoke title adds several totally random tracks this month, highlighted by the October 23 addition of The Supremes pack for 440 ($5.50). Individual songs, as well as The Diana Ross Supremes tracks, can be purchased for 160 ($2) apiece. Available now: "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" – En Vogue "Breakfast at Tiffany's" – Deep Blue Something Oct 9: "Barely Breathing" – Duncan Sheik "Always" – Erasure Oct 16: "Chains of Love" – Erasure"Return of The Mack" – Mark Morrison "Lucky" – Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat Oct 23:"Baby Love" – The Supremes "Stop! In The Name of Love" – The Supremes "You Can't Hurry Love" – The Supremes The Supremes Song Pack – Includes "Baby Love," "Stop! In The Name Of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love." Oct 30: I'll Stand By You – The Pretenders Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You – Glenn Medeiros Geile Zeit – Juli* Nichts Bringt Mich Runter – Ich + Ich* Dis Wo Ich Herkomm–Samy Deluxe **Only in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium.
Smack your Lips for new Achievements
Have people been clamoring for more Achievements in Lips? Is this something people want? We're asking an honest question here, because we really don't know. Regardless of the demand, it appears to be true, with Xbox360Achievements.org spotting nine new Achievements for the game, adding another 250 points. It's unclear if these Achievements are available now, or will be made available as part of future DLC. It's also curious that these Achievements would be added so close to the launch of Lips: Number One Hits. Whatever the truth is behind this mystery, we're sure exuberant box art models everywhere will be thrilled! [Thanks, NBA Kirkland]
Lips mic compatible with The Beatles: Rock Band, RB2 'soon'
Harmonix has confirmed to Joystiq that the Lips (or Microsoft Wireless) Microphone will be compatible with The Beatles: Rock Band at launch, but that a patch for the peripheral to work with Rock Band 2 will be "coming soon." We sought clarification after a post on GameFaqs, allegedly quoting EA warranty support, implied that the patch for Rock Band would occur this week.The Lips mic patch for Rock Band has been in the pipe since last year, with a release window announced a couple months back for this summer, which we now know will occur after (not with) the release of The Beatles: Rock Band this Wednesday.[Via Aeropause]
September brings The Postal Service, Rihanna DLC to Lips
Fall is coming and Microsoft has revealed September's list of Lips DLC to keep gamers away from the upcoming cold front. This month brings new tracks from Rihanna, The Postal Service, The Bravery and Panic At the Disco, among others. If September's list of DLC isn't enough, October brings the release of the new retail title, Lips: Number One Hits. If you're looking for a new tune to belt out during those cold nights, the Lips franchise has you covered. Wait ... that sounds weird. Available on now: "We Will Become Silhouettes" by The Postal Service "Shut Up and Drive" by Rihanna September 11: "Everything About You" by Ugly Kid Joe "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service September 18: "Sometime Around Midnight" by The Airborne Toxic Event "Nine In The Afternoon" by Panic! At The Disco September 25: "An Honest Mistake" by The Bravery "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman Turner Overdrive
Microsoft belts out Lips: Number One Hits October 20
If you've been sick to death of having to walk or drive down to the local bar for your karaoke fix every Thursday night, know that Microsoft is prepping its next installment in living room embarrassment for October 20: Lips: Number One Hits. The title features acts such as Lady Gaga and the illustrious Tears for Fears, but also doles out the Avatar rewards to players who can hit the high notes. Nothing ties an Avatar's outfit together like a pair of parachute pants. Don't act like you wouldn't wear 'em!
MS details Lips DLC for the rest of August
Attention, karaoke buffs, Microsoft has unveiled the Lips DLC for the remainder of August, and there's quite a variety to be had. From Coldplay to Creedence, from Robyn to Robbie Williams, there's something for everyone. There's also Timbuk3's "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades," which should should be enough for anyone. The upcoming August releases are each priced at 160 ($2). Starting today, they are as follows:August 14:"With Every Heartbeat" – Robyn"Love Is Gone" – David Guetta and Chris WillisAugust 21:"The Road to Mandalay" – Robbie Williams"Talk" – ColdplayAugust 27:"Angel" – Shaggy"Proud Mary" – Creedence Clearwater Revival*"Song for Whoever" is not available in U.K., Ireland and the Netherlands.
Lips: Number One Hits adds Lady Gaga and more
Microsoft already revealed some of the artists in upcoming Lips: Number One Hits and today, we've got a few more to pile on. But before we get to the new artists, we would like to relay that when vocalists snag the new game this October, there will also be a free pack available for download. We have no idea what packs will be available, as fans will be able to vote on the official Lips site later down the road. It's like American Idol ... but not really!Now, about those new tracks: This latest update features a variety of US and UK talent ... and Aqua, for some reason. We honestly can't say the prospect of becoming a "Barbie Girl" is all that enticing. Regardless, here are the acts joining the Lips: Number One Hits line-up: "California Love" by 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman "Barbie Girl" by Aqua "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears "The Fear" by Lily Allen "Don't Phunk With My Heart" by Black Eyed Peas "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" by Scissor Sisters "Heartless" by Kanye West "Touch My Body" by Mariah Carey "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's "Always On My Mind" by Pet Shop Boys "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz "Push the Button" by Sugababes Love 'em? Hate 'em? Bueller?
Lips DLC schedule for July 2009
You like big butts and you can not lie, so sing it with other brothas when the track drops this July. Yes, the song that acknowledges the glory of expansive posteriors will actually be available tomorrow, July 3, on Lips. Check out what else is coming to the karaoke title this month, after the break.
Xbox 360 Wireless Microphone ships this fall for $49.99
Remember that microphone that we peeked just before Lips hit and (subsequently fell off) the scene? Microsoft has just announced that a standalone version will soon be available sans a tether, giving owners of the aforesaid title, Guitar Hero Metallica, Rock Band 2, Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year and The Beatles: Rock Band the ability to carry a tune in a bucket right in the comfort of their living room. Too bad it'll run you $49.99 when it ships in the fall, but who knows, maybe there's some sweet Sennheiser diaphragm in there that we're not aware of.[Via Joystiq]
