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Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones fall to $248, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals
This week's best tech deals include over $100 of Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones, $150 off the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and $30 off the Roku Streambar.
Google's new Chrome experiment lets you remix the Rubik's Cube
Sure, you could spend a while trying to solve the Rubik's Cube in Google's new Doodle, but that may get a little dry. Google was clearly prepared for that eventuality, though: it has just launched the Cube Lab, a Chrome experiment that lets you build your own internet-based puzzle. So long as you're good with modern web code, you can produce a unique Rubik's Cube with its own artwork, effects and even logic. The 808 Cube is all about music-making, for instance. Even if you're not a programmer, it's worth checking out the ready-made Lab examples to have some fun. We just wish we'd had this when we were kids -- it would have kept us playing with Rubik's Cubes long after the original got buried in the closet.
Celebrate the 40th birthday of Rubik's Cube with today's Google Doodle
It must be hard being Ernő Rubik. Back in the 1980s, the architect and toy inventor had the rare good fortune of becoming one of very few self-made millionaires from communist Europe. But in the process he was horribly pigeon-holed. His patented Rubik's Cube sold 350 million units, while his other creations -- Rubik's Snake, Rubik's Magic, and presumably a few blocky buildings somewhere in Hungary -- barely got a mention. Today, you can contribute to the injustice of it all by celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first Cube prototype, courtesy of a playable Google Doodle. Meanwhile, the inventor is currently touring the world with an exhibition that is pointedly titled "Beyond Rubik's Cube." Ernő, you have our sympathies.
Robot Ruby solves Rubik's Cube in 10.69 seconds, still can't beat humans (video)
There are a few robots smart enough to solve a Rubik's Cube in seconds flat, but a group of students at Swinburne University of Technology think theirs may be the fastest on Earth. Their bot, named Ruby, recently mastered the puzzle in just 10.69 seconds, including the time spent analyzing the cube. To achieve this feat, the device scanned the toy with a webcam before its software processed the images to crank out a solution. According to the university, Ruby's 10-second mark smashes the current world robot record of 18.2 seconds, unofficially making it the fastest cube-solving machine on the planet. But Ruby still has a long way to go before it catches Feliks Zemdegs -- a 16-year-old Australian who solved a Rubik's Cube in 6.24 seconds and continues to carry the torch for all of humanity. Twist and turn your way past the break for the full PR and a video of Ruby in action, as well as a clip of Zemdegs showing us how the pros do it.
Motorola Droid solves Lego-encased Rubik's Cube in 24 mind-melting seconds (video)
Oh sure, you've seen your disgustingly hairy cousin solve a Rubik's Cube in 3 minutes and 13.4 seconds, and we've seen quite a few sophisticated robots do it in far less time. But in the latest episode of "Yes, Droid Really Does," we've got Motorola's darling solving a Lego-encased Cube in just over 24 seconds. Let's recap: a Droid, a Mindstorms NXT monstrosity, a Rubik's Cube and faux techno. Is there any chance you aren't clicking through to watch this video? Update: Whoops -- had the wrong image in there somehow. Fixed now! Update II: Drats -- the video owner removed the clip. We'll keep it embedded should it return. Update III: It's back! Check it after the break.
Rubik's TouchCube to make debut this weekend... on QVC
It's not every day that QVC gets first dibs on hot new gadgets (though it's occurring far more frequently than we're proud to admit), but we're hearing that the teleshopping channel will be the place to go if you want to be among the first to own a Rubik's TouchCube. Believe it or not, the swipe-controlled retro toy will be available to buy for the first time on the Christmas in July segment this weekend. Look - if you've been wondering what QVC looks like in full, unadulterated HD, but have up until now failed to secure a good excuse to check it out, this is your chance, and yes, you're welcome. The full statement from the company is after the break.
Rubik's TouchCube splashes modern day onto timeless classic
We're having a tough time recalling the last year in which not one, but two new Rubik's Cube spinoffs were launched, but sure enough, the Rubik's TouchCube is gearing up to join the Rubik's 360 at the American International Toy Fair. Christened the "first completely electronic, solvable Rubik's Cube," this one maintains the shape of the original but replaces the colored stickers with actual lights. Users ready to engage their minds simply hit the scramble button on the cube, and then rearrange the blocks by swiping their finger. There's no mention of when this will take store shelves by storm, but we're pretty sure it'll be around for the pre-Christmas rush. Oh, and you know you can't wait to hack one, which was darn near impossible on the analog version. In-action video is just past the break.
Rubik's Cube gets spherical twist as Rubik's 360
Unlike Microsoft's own Xbox 360, the Rubik's 360 is actually round. Imagine that, right? Said device is about to be officially unveiled in Germany this week at a national toy show, and while many question its ability to recreate the wonder and amazement associated with the original Cube, puzzle aficionados the world over are still enthusiastic about giving it a go. The unit features six balls trapped inside of three transparent plastic spheres; in order to solve it, players must figure out how to get the internal balls "from an inner sphere into matching slots on the outer sphere by shaking them through a middle sphere that has only two holes." Sadly, we'll have to wait until August before being perpetually frustrated by yet another Rubik's invention, but needless to say, we're pretty stoked to get irate later this year. [Thanks, Sam]
ELAC's MicroSUB 2010 BT: the most rumbling Rubik's Cube you ever did see
We've seen some pretty ingenious covers for earth-movers, but ELAC's Rubik's Cube-inspired MicroSUB 2010 BT is really something special. Sure to please both puzzle and bass lovers alike, the dual-driver subbie features built-in Bluetooth (A2DP), 100-watts of power and a pair of speaker outputs for satellites. For those looking for less vivid versions, it is available in black or white, but really, where's the fun in that?[Via Unplggd]
Kawasaki robot solves Rubik's Cube in seconds flat
We've seen robots that could solve a Rubik's Cube in nearly no time, but Kawasaki's Cube-Kun can pick one up, figure out the solution and sip down some lemonade all in the extended blink of an eye. Reportedly, this brainiac was created with absolutely one goal in life, and judging by eyewitness reports, it succeeds mightily. The fellow rocks a huge flat-panel display as a face and utilizes built-in sensors to determine the current position of each square and how to most quickly solve it. Interestingly, we heard that sabotaging the cube by removing a sticker would send Cube-Kun into fits of uncontrollable rage, but apparently, no one's been courageous enough to test its patience.[Via TokyoMango]
Rubik's Revolution adds flashy lights and voice to the classic
If there's anything you can expect out of a sequel, it's more explosions, action and dumb dialogue. That about sums it up for this new "Rubik's Revolution," a supposed "sequel" to the original Rubik's Cube. The new cube keeps that 3 x 3 configuration and the iconic colored sides, but adds in electronic games including Light Speed, Rapid Recharge, Pattern Panic, Cube Catcher, Code Cracker and Multiplayer Madness. We're not quite sure what these do, but we're guessing most of them won't be solvable via the tried-and-true sticker swapping method. The games include light, sound and voice effects, with multiple unlockable levels and even multiplayer play. No telling if this will prove at all entertaining, or merely as frustrating as the original, but for $20 it won't be too expensive to find out when the Revolution debuts this summer.
The Illuminate Cube: like Rubik on meth
Hooked on retro-kitsch, boy? You'll likey this Illuminate Cube from Megahouse then. Now it's no coincidence that this cube bears more than a passing resemblance to his similarly colored and sized bro' Rubik since The House owns the rights to said wunderkind in Japan. Unfortunately, this cube doesn't move, unless you mean the colored lights which do their best to keep time with the beat off any 3.5-mm attached audio source. Sure, it has a tiny 27-mm cone speaker integrated as well, but with a power rating of just 125mW x 2ch, why bother. Available at the end of the month in Japan for ¥5,250 or right around $44. [Via Impress]
Two great "toys" that might play well together ... maybe
Developer Digital Works, announced that eventually, sometime, they were going to make some sort of game-thing for the DS based on the Rubik's Cube. And lo did the speculation begin across the interwebs, with discussion of timed WiFi modes and minigames. And why? Because the above is pretty much all they said. Will it be just a cube? Will it include Rubik's Revenge? And the biggest question of all -- what is the point when there are a few collecting dust in a box somewhere in the garage?Sure, we can understand the seeming logic of putting what was once the world's biggest "toy" on the current biggest "toy." We can even visualize how this could work. There could actually be a game. But a full-fledged DS game, for which we must shell out far, far too much of our slave labor earnings? Seems a bit of a stretch. They'd better start innovating, and fast.
