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VR helps US Olympic ski and snowboard teams prep for South Korea
When skiers and snowboarders prepare for a competition, they often have incredibly limited access to their race routes ahead of time. But the US ski and snowboard team is doing things a little differently than it has in the past, using VR to review routes multiple times before competing. It's working with a company called STRIVR, which has developed VR training programs for professional sports teams, college sports teams and even companies like Walmart, Visa and Lowe's. Now, STRIVR is helping US Ski & Snowboard prepare for competitions like the World Cup and the upcoming Olympic Games by letting the team relive particular routes in VR.
PiQ puts AI to work in the 'world's first' smart ski
Baseball bats and tennis rackets aren't the only pieces of sports equipment that are getting smarter these days. Ski maker Rossignol and consumer electronics company PIQ announced on Monday that they have created the world's first "connected" ski. Behold, the Hero Master.
6 buildings that you can sled, ski and snowboard on
By Cat DiStasio Snow sports are wildly popular around the globe -- even in regions with no winter to speak of. No matter, because architects and engineers have joined forces to create ski and snowboard slopes in some of the most unlikely places. Whether indoors or out, artificial snow or pure natural pow-pow, these buildings with built-in slopes will blow your snow-loving mind. From the longest indoor ski slope on the planet to an eco-friendly year-round snow sports resort, this roundup has something for everyone. If you can't hold your breath 'til the next bluebird day rolls around, opt for one of these spots where it's primo shredding season with no white-out in the forecast.
Open-world skiing game Snow drifting to PS4, Oculus Rift
Swedish developer Poppermost will bring its open-world skiing game Snow to PlayStation 4 as well as PC, which gets additional Oculus Rift support. Snow arrived on Steam's Early Access service in October and is expected to move into a closed beta phase by the end of the year as a free-to-play game. The game is console-exclusive to the PS4. Those that want to check out the Early Access version on PC can pick up founders packs with alpha passes and in-game items, ranging from $15 to $60. Poppermost crammed eight square kilometers of open space and alpine terrain into its first game, which is powered by Crytek's Cryengine. In Snow, players thumb through hundreds of items in the game's catalog to equip their riders with 11 pieces of gear simultaneously before hitting the slopes to perform tricks. [Image: Poppermost]
Custom Toyota 4Runner uses two iPads as control panels
Smartphone integration in cars is becoming common, but a fabricator from California has taken things to the extreme as part of a Toyota-sponsored contest. John Tondro of Herbst Smith Fabrication has created an interface that allows every internal feature of an SUV to be controlled from one of five iPads. Making its debut at the 2013 SEMA aftermarket parts trade show in Las Vegas, the system can control volume, opening and closing windows and even temperature settings. Built with the input of X Games star freestyle skier Simon Durmont the SUV has lovingly been named the Ultimate Dream Ski 4Runner. Beyond the technical wonder of controlling your car's included features via an iPad, the SUV has a special surprise. The roof features a retractable rail system that allows a set of skis to slide off the roof and be lowered down for removal, a process that is also controlled by the iPad. You can view a video of the vehicle below. With the advent of options like Siri Eyes Free, the future of tablet/smartphone integration with automobiles is just beginning. What's possible today with a lot of hard work and five iPads is merely the next logical step in consumer controls. While the safety of such options is still up for debate, the future is upon us. At the bare minimum, I hope it brings us all something as cool as universal car controls at the palm of our hand. But for the love of God, let's all agree to stick with the steering wheel for now as a means of control.
Five iOS apps to help you say goodbye to summer, hello to fall
For many people here in the US, summer is quickly coming to a close. School is back in session, summer vacations are done and the temperatures are getting a bit cooler. It can be hard to leave behind the fun of summer, so we've put together a list that'll help you say goodbye to the warm, sunny weather and hello to fall. Foliage Leaf Peepr (Free) Fall means foliage and Yankee Magazine's Leaf Peepr is one of the best iPhone apps for tracking foliage changes, especially in the Northeast.The Leaf Peepr app helps fall foliage fans find the best and brightest colors in their area. Users can also make foliage reports (called Peeps) by posting photos, writing comments and rating the foliage status for their location. Ski Safari (US$0.99) For some people, fall is the season between water skiing and snow skiing. Yes, we realize Ski Safari is not a ski simulation, but the iPhone and iPad game will entertain you with its winter-themed fun until the real snow starts hitting the ground. Lego Halloween Creationary (Free) Besides foliage, Fall also means apples, pumpkins and Halloween. Get ready for some spooky fun with this build-and-guess game from Lego. Each round starts with creepy Lego object and you have to guess what's being built. The faster you guess, the more points your earn. Photo Wall Pro ($2.99) Now that summer is over, you likely have a phone filled with photos. Don't let those precious memories just sit there; make them into a collage with an app like Photo Wall Pro. The collage maker allows you to send your creation off as a postcard or share it with family and friends. NFL Fantasy Football (Free) Last, but far from least, is football, which kicked off earlier this week. If you haven't started yet, now is the time to download this Fantasy Football app from the NFL and start managing your virtual team. [Image from flickr/muffinman71xx]
Recon Instruments defrosts its Android SDK at Google I/O (video)
Ski season (in the northern hemisphere at least) was in full swing when Recon Instruments announced that it'd be providing developers with an Android SDK for its HUD alpine goggles. Now, most of that snow may have melted, but the SDK is finally a cold, hard reality. Made available to the developing masses at Google I/O this week, frosty-fingered devs can use the tool to hook-in to Recon's visual display tools, including its MOD Live series. Given that this opens up the goggles' altimeter, barometer, accelerometer, gyro and magnetometer and temperature reader, that's a lot of detail to tuck into. Itching to get that downhill leaderboard app going? Slide on over to the source for the details.
Insert Coin: Neva smart ski poles keep you connected while shredding powder
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Hitting the slopes means ditching your phone for a few hours, or risking losing it while bombing down the mountain. More troubling than an AWOL handset, though, is getting yourself lost in the backcountry sans smartphone while searching for fresh powder. An intrepid skier / software coder is well aware of this, and he's taken to Kickstarter to fund the Neva ski poles, which keep you safe and connected by wirelessly communicating with the Android or iPhone in your pocket. Incoming calls and text messages pop up on the built-in OLED display, and a finger swipe lets you answer the phone without lifting your gaze from the path ahead, as long as you've managed to mod your mitts accordingly. It's on you to decide which calls are really so pressing they need to be taken on your downhill runs -- though, to do so, you'll probably want to buy one of those Bluetooth-enabled jackets. The poles also display temperature, time and elevation, and the related smartphone app lets you toggle features such as calculating your slope angle and tracking your route. As far as Kickstarter pledge rewards go, the Neva project is quite generous. The base $1 donation gets you early access to the smartphone app, while stepping up to $120 earns you a pair of 7075 aluminum poles (only one is data-enabled), the app for Android or iPhone and a vinyl Neva decal. Of course, you could always shell out $2,500 or more and get a reseller pack of 25 Neva ski pole sets. While those are enticing offers for backers, the project has raised just $851 of its requested $100k -- and there are only 26 days left. Hit up the source link to donate, and check out the video past the break for a look at the poles in action.
Skier saved from deadly avalanche by airbag backpack
Considering the pain and loss she's just endured, you may have a hard time convincing professional skier Elyse Saugstad that she's a lucky woman, but it's true. Saugstad was tackling Tunnel Creek in the Cascade Mountains with a group of other experienced backcountry skiers, when a large sheet of snow broke loose from the side of the mountain. Elyse and three others were sent hurtling 3,000 feet down the slope, sadly, only she survived the ordeal. Her almost miraculous escape was thanks in large part to the inflatable airbag system she wore. The safety gear has been available for sometime in Europe, but it only recently started making a splash here in the US. The large bladders filled with nitrogen helped keep her near the top of the avalanche, making it easier for her to breathe once the snow had settled and easier for rescuers to find her. Hit up the source link for an interview with Elyse Saugstad.[Thanks, Aaron]
Recon partners with Scott and Smith, brings MOD to the masses
We love Recon's MOD system for Ski-goggles, especially now that it's open to developers. Starting soon, an avalanche of new winter-sports enthusiasts will be able to wear the multi-sensor based statistics system atop their eyeballs, thanks to a new partnership with both Scott and Smith. The GPS touting in-goggle display will be unveiled in the new family of eyeware at a slew of outdoor sports events this month. Of course, if you're still unsure the tech is up to your hardcore ski routine, have a word with these guys. Want to know more? We thought so. Slide on past the break to read the full PR.
Recon Instruments touts SDK for GPS-enabled ski goggles, polar heart rate monitor compatibility in tow
Like clockwork, Recon Instruments is choosing CES once again to launch its next functionality improvement for those futuristic GPS-enabled ski goggles that we first saw in 2010. This year's revelation is the impending launch (May 2012, to be precise) of a software development kit for the Android-based MOD Live -- a little diddy we sat down with a few months back. Moreover, there's soon to be support with the Polar WearLink+ transmitter with Bluetooth. The MOD Live near-eye device enables skiers and riders to see a hodgepodge of instant (and useful) information, and with an SDK on the way, the amount of available data is sure to increase. We're told that the outfit's working with "strategic partners" to bring specific apps to the table, where users will see things like 2D graphics at up to 30fps, location / speed / altitude registers, time / jump analytics and free fall detection. Head on past the break for the full PR, and go ahead and book yourself a trip to the arctic in May; something tells us Whitefish, Montana's going to be mostly green by then.
MOD and MOD Live Android ski goggles give extreme analytics, we go eyes-on (video)
Straight out of Q's closet of goodies are Recon Instrument's brand new MOD and MOD Live ski goggles, giving bikers, skiers and snowboarders a glimpse into the digital extreme with a tiny built-in LCD micro display -- powered by an itsy bitsy Android ARM Coretex-A8 600 MHz computer. The 428 x 240 WQVGA screen allows the hardcore to tune into things like speed, jump analytics, distance, pre-loaded trail maps, height and GPS location, while keeping MOD Live users connected to calls and texts via Bluetooth. Running Android 2.3, the LIVE variety will let you see who's calling, answer calls, receive texts and even respond to them with pre-programmed responses. Users can switch between screens using the included remote, attachable via wristband or headstrap. Since the display is so tiny, the amount of Android apps athletes will be able to use will be limited -- so, sorry kids, no Angry Birds while mountain biking off a cliff. If that doesn't sound distracting enough, the manufacturer promises future third-party camera and video recorder integration to capture all the jumps, dives and spills associated with shredding the gnar. Sadly, the current model only has 512Mbs of storage and 256MB of RAM, so you won't be able to store too many Sean White-worthy feature films on them. Giving these bad boys a go, they transported us into what seemed like the future with details of our personal best performances staring us in the eye from the corner of the screen -- rad. Flexible and bendy, the eye shield easily pops out of the frame to reveal the display itself, along with the computer's guts. Of course, the extreme flexibility and bulkiness of the goggles doesn't bode well for those of us who actually use goggles to protect our eyes -- giving us the impression that they would not offer much cushion with a severe spill. The enviable eyewear will retail for $299 with the Android smartphone-connected version available for $399. Check out the video and full PR after the break. %Gallery-138853%
Columbia Omni-Heat Circuit Breaker Softshell electric / heated jacket review
Back when old man winter was first starting to bear down here in the States for the 2010 - 2011 Winter Season, we dropped by to check out a few toasty newcomers from the folks at Columbia. Pleased as we were after trying a few things out at the demo booth, we reckoned the outfit's line of Omni-Heat electric gear would be best evaluated in the wild. You know -- places like Whitefish, Montana and the northern interior of Alaska, all during the winter. We were fortunate enough to snag one of Columbia's Omni-Heat Circuit Breaker Softshell electric / heated ski jackets prior to departing for our bone-chilling escapades, and after a couple of months of use, we're happy to report that this thing really is all it's cracked up to be. Those situated in places like Yellowknife and International Falls have been dreaming of a non-bulky, quasi-stylish heated coat for years now, and those dreams may very well be converted into reality when this particular one starts shipping this fall. Read on to see if an outdoors outfitter really nailed the technological integration, and how your life in the winter months may be forever changed because of it.
Recon details next-gen GPS goggle technology: Android, Bluetooth, endless fantasies
And you thought those Recon-Zeal Transcend goggles from last fall were hot stuff. Truth be told, they still are, but Recon Instruments' plans for the future make the present seem downright mundane. Here at CES, the company has just revealed its next-generation technology, which should be ingrained in its next line of specs. The big news here is that the revised platform will be based on Android, enabling developers to craft apps and in turn, owners to customize their GPS-enabled goggles in ways not previously possible. Moreover, the technology will be available separately from the company's own eyewear, with a "snap fit" version ready made to work with Uvex, Alpina and Briko products. Wearers will then be able to navigate through the interactive LCD in real-time with the use of a wireless remote, and Recon hopes to eventually craft the first pair of goggles with a real-time navigational system. You'll also get Bluetooth capabilities, allowing users to connect with their smartphones and see their music playlists, caller ID and text messages. Head on past the break for the full rundown, and do your best to not get those hopes too high. As if it's not too late for that already. %Gallery-112630%
Liquid Image Xtreme Sport Cam goggles hands-on
When you're racing down the slopes, scuba-diving somewhere exotic, or zipping around on your motorcycle, the last thing you probably want to think about doing is shooting video. But if you're the type who just has to capture every adrenaline-pumping moment, Liquid Image has you covered with its new line of camera-equipped goggles. The $349 Scuba camera mask supports depths up to 100 meters, and does stills and video in 720p. The $400 Impact series also does both still and video, but it bumps the resolution up to 1080p. All of these goggles have a microSD slot, as well as buttons along the side for switching between the respective modes. Beware, once you start recording, you'll no longer be able to tell your friends you're in the Black Diamond Club when you really just spend all day on the bunny slope. Press release is after the break. %Gallery-112571%
Ripxx ski app out now for Android, still has no idea what the street value of this mountain is
The closest we have ever come to a ski race is the worn out VHS copy of Better Off Dead we still have in the back of our closets somewhere, but if you're an Android-lovin' ski bunny jealous of all the attention Ripxx has been giving the iPhone, you're in luck. That's right, your fave open source smartphone OS has its very own version of the Ripxx Ski and Snowboard app. Version 1.1 features over 200 mapped out resorts, GPS tracking, stats recording (including speed, distance, and vertical drop) and more. Not bad for $5, eh?
Ripxx ski app for iPhone great for athletes, useless for Epyx Winter Games
We received an interesting email from Ripxx this morning, stating that due to an unprecedented outpouring of comments on our previous post for its sports GPS, the company's gone and developed its very own iPhone app. That's right, instead of planning your ski trips around a piece of dedicated hardware, you can now do it on the same device you use to read Texts From Last Night while sitting on the loo. The Ripxx iPhone Ski App, as it's called, features trail maps from over 200 North American ski resorts, Google Maps integration, the ability to track time, speed, distance, and vertical drop for your various trips down the mountain. Whatever that means. But hey -- it's only five bucks! And it's available now. Video after the break.
Recon-Zeal Transcend goggles now shipping, GPS and head-mounted display included
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? If you'll recall, we heard that Recon Instruments was fixing to up-end the winter sports goggle market in February of this year, with an optimistic-at-the-time ship date of October 2010. Lo and behold, the outfit has managed to nail its estimate, and the planet's first GPS-enabled goggles are now available to highfalutin' skiers and snowboarders. At least initially, the company will be rolling out a limited set, with two models to choose from: the $499 Transcend SPPX is fitted with an SPPX polarized and photochromic lens, while the $399 Transcend SPX features an SPX polarized lens. Aside from the fact that these probably cost less than those ho hum Oakleys in the ski shop, they're equipped with a Zeal Optics' frame design with a micro LCD display, which appears to hang approximately six feet in front of the user. That head-mounted display provides real-time feedback to the wearer, including speed, latitude / longitude, altitude, vertical distance traveled, total distance traveled, a chrono / stopwatch mode, a run-counter, temperature and time. Yeah, wow. You can bet we'll be trying to snag a set for review when we do our best impression of "hitting the slopes" post-CES. %Gallery-104018%
Zeal Optics bringing GPS, sensor-laden Transcend ski goggles to market
Remember those mind-melting Recon Instruments goggles that we caught wind of late last year? Admit it -- you never, ever expected those things to actually make it to market. Despite your pessimism, it seems as if those very specs are indeed making a beeline to the consumer realm, with Zeal Optics jumping in, working a bit of magic and relabeling 'em Transcend. Deemed the planet's first GPS and sensor-laden ski goggles, these things are purportedly capable of logging speed, altitude, temperature and time details, and the side-mounted toggle switches will enable you to view said data in real time (or not, if you're paying attention to the 50 foot drop ahead of you). Peek the read link for further details on the $350+ wearables (demoed after the break), and get ready to hit the slopes with a whole new mindset this October. [Thanks, Christopher]
Ski resorts busted by iPhone app
Want to see past a ski resort's lies? There's an app for that. The iPhone's ability to track snowfall at ski resorts has been well publicized (it even showed up in an official Apple commercial), but apparently there's been an unintended consequence: ski resorts are actually losing money. The UK's Globe and Mail reports that before iPhones existed, people would just call up to the slopes to ask them if there was snow on the trails -- and the ski resorts would more often than not reply that there was, in order to pull in some more weekend customers. It was usually just white lies (no pun intended) -- they'd usually say there was about 20% more snow than actually existed. But now that the iPhone provides a much more objective look at exactly how much powder there is up there, resorts are finding that they can't push that weekend boost any more. And that's cutting into their yearly profits as a whole. Now, you may argue that resorts being held accountable is a good thing, and according to the article, most of the resorts themselves would agree with you: they weren't in it to outright lie to people, because telling people that there was a foot on the ground when you can see grass would have an even worse effect on their business. But hearing from someone on the phone that the slopes are plentiful is a much different experience than seeing a number in an iPhone app, and it's interesting that the difference is directly affecting resort profits in many cases. Not that resorts have too much to worry about, especially the ones who have plenty of snow anyway. It just shows you how much the iPhone is still changing all kinds of industries in strange ways.
