Logitech's put out a couple PS3 driving wheels, but the new Driving Force Wireless is the company's first wireless driving controller for Sony's console. The 2.4GHz wheel features a one-piece design with an expandable lap rest so you don't need to clip it onto a table or desk, and there's the usual wheel-mounted d-pad and buttons. Should be out in August for a cool Benny.

Rest assured, there are plenty of steering wheels on the road right now that happily accept finger commands, but Hitachi's latest invention takes things one step further. The so-called finger vein authentication system can apparently be customized for a certain driver so that simple presses can adjust one's seat, load up a given playlist, tweak the equalizer, crank the AC or start up the engine. Moreover, such a system provides an additional layer of security against theft or unwanted drive-offs (think mischievous children). Reportedly, Hitachi is still unsure if / when this will actually hit vehicles on showroom floors, but a ballpark figure of "three to four years" was thrown out there for good measure.

[Via AFP / Yahoo]

We know it's possible to strap a PSP to your steering wheel, but seriously, it's not like we'd recommend taking such a setup onto the open road. Apparently, designers at Kia are throwing caution to the wind and cramming convenience in your face with its Kue concept vehicle, which neatly sports a full-fledged GPS navigation system in place of an airbag. Yeah, you've got Honda trying to stuff such protective devices into frickin' motorcycles, but who needs driver's side safety when you've got a 100,000-mile warranty? Nevertheless, the whip also manages to sport Lambo-doors, swivel seats, a widescreen in-dash display, and what appears to be flush-mounted pillar controls. Of course, the Kue could end up rocking a half dozen airbags in a variety of other locations, but if you're interested in a few more pics of the quasi-street-legal ride, be sure to click on through.

When it comes to video game-related mods, practicality is often the first casualty, as is fully evidenced by this latest bit of a workmanship from AcidMods member Neubit. Apparently, like so many others, the PSP's nub got the better of him, prompting him to enact his revenge by wiring up a PS2 steering wheel to the handheld's buttons and analog control. As the video after the break shows, the whole setup appears to work reasonably well -- or, at least as well as a full-size steering wheel hooked up to a PSP can be expected to work.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

As any hardcore gamer will tell you, simulation games aren't really simulations unless you've got the appropriate hardware to back up all that finely-tuned software. Taking that into consideration, the folks at Extreme Tech decided to round up no less than ten controllers of various sorts to see how well they replicated the real thing, including flight sticks, throttles, steering wheels, and pedals. While any of the tested controllers will get the basic job done, they did find a few standouts in bunch. Getting top marks among the flight sticks was Saitek's X52 Pro, with CH 's Fighterstick Pro only slightly behind. CH came out ahead with its other flight-related peripherals, however, with its Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals USB getting marks of 8 out of 10 and 9 out of 10, respectively. For those who prefer to keep things on the ground, Extreme Tech found Logitech's G25 racing wheel (complete with pedals and console) to be the best bet for driving sims, although at $250, authenticity certainly doesn't come cheap. Those not willing to go that far may want to take a look at Microsoft's PC-compatible Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, which comes in at half the price Logitech's rig but, according to Extreme Tech, still provides a decent racing experience for less-demanding gamers.

Since the frequency (and severity) of Wii-related injuries has calmed down somewhat since Nintendo (we think) starting replacing those previously weak Wiimote straps, it seems that Wii owners now have more time to spend crafting accessories than filling out medical paperwork. Sure, the more official steering wheel adornment has been available to purchase for quite awhile, but for those who can't (or have no desire to) conjure up the coin required to snag one, there's always the homegrown approach. It's quite possible that we've grown too accustomed to well planned and well executed mods and DIY creations, but we must say this attempt at crafting a Wii wheel looks to fall a bit short -- unless you dig incredibly lumpy and presumably slippery circles to steer with, of course. Nevertheless, we've got to give props for the not-so-typical blue tape used in the construction, but we're counting on Rev. B to be a much more refined rendition, capiche?

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

You know, most of us who have extra 42-inch plasma screens just kicking around usually spend our spare time watching say, "Battlestar Galactica" or some other big exploding action-packed show. It hadn't occurred to us that what our home entertainment center was missing was a Home Pro Racing Simulator, but then again, what do we know. Costco, a big-box wholesale retailer, is shipping an equally ridiculously-sized $4,000 rig that apparently acts as the perfect cockpit for racing (no, not the actual kind) or flying video games, coming complete with a steering wheel, foot pedals, 10-inch woofer, a handful of tweeters, and of course the optional, but obligatory, joystick. While the Simulator is also advertised as a "movie-going experience", we're not really sure how you're going to cuddle up to your loved one in a single seat while squashed behind a steering wheel -- we're not trying to replicate makeout point in our home theater, ya dig?

[Via Red Ferret]

 

We wonder what the meeting was like over at Intel HQ when they decided to produce this programmable remote that's designed for controlling your Viiv devices and is shaped like the steering wheel from a BMW F1 car. We wrote a short play describing how we think it went.

Executive 1: It seems like people are seeing Viiv as kind of a novelty. What should we do?
Executive 2: Hmm, maybe we should develop a remote that'll give users access to all of their media without having to switch remotes, thus making Viiv actually useful for accessing content. It can have an array of custom programmable buttons, two of which look like bright blue marker caps, and everything.
Executive 1: Yeah, and it can be shaped like the steering wheel from a race car!
Executive 2: That is a totally sweet idea. When does it come out and how much?
Executive 1: Well we're developing it now, so no word on release date. But judging by how much other companies charge for race car stuff, it's safe to say that it won't be cheap.
Executive 2: Awesome. AMD Live! has no idea what's coming.

Fin.