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Skullcandy's Crusher ANC block noise while you feel the bass
Skullcandy's Crusher headphones have offered thumping bass tones that rumble your dome (literally) since 2013. In 2016, the company introduced a wireless version and followed up with "an ultra-realistic sensory bass experience" on the Crusher 360 last year. Now the company is introducing a new model in the Crusher series, and it comes with a major addition: active noise cancellation.
IRL: Skullcandy Crusher headphones and ASUS' G74SX gaming laptop
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. It's true; most Engadget editors would prefer some sort of Ultrabook-type laptop for attending pressers and schlepping around trade shows. But at least one of us has chosen a nine-pound gaming laptop for hitting posts. (It even says "Republic of Gamers" on it.) Speaking of schlepping, Michael has taken back (almost) everything he's ever said about over-the-ear headphones after swapping in the Skullcandy Crushers on his long commute. Hit the break to find out what he thinks of them.
Skullcandy's Crusher ears-on at CES: rumbling headphones that you'll actually want
Over the years, our ears have been treated (or tormented, depending on perspective) to a variety of rumbles from a multitude of wub-wub headphones. Typically, it's the gaming headphone sector that gets first dibs, but Skullcandy's Crusher is aiming to hit a few more targets. We had a chance to listen to a production version of the impending cans -- slated to ship in March for $99 in black, white and red hues -- and we were pleasantly surprised with what we heard. Er, felt. Actually, both. It's battery powered, but it'll continue to deliver tunes even if the cell powering the thumps goes dead. Moreover, it automatically disables when the music stops, preventing you from blowing through too many extra batteries. There's a slider on the rear that raises and lowers the sensitivity of the rumble, and we preferred it at about half-cranked. Amazingly, the sensation was actually enjoyable -- and moreover, accurate. We probably wouldn't listen to an entire album with the vibration on, but for movies and games? Yeah, that's clearly the sweet spot. Better still, the conventional 3.5mm headphone jack means that it's as universal as these things get, and the overall audio quality was very much on par with what we'd expect for a Benjamin. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.
Skullcandy's Crusher headphones teased, soon to vibrate wubs into your head for $100
Skullcandy hasn't made any official headphone-related announcements at CES -- but that doesn't mean there isn't news to share. We've just been tipped about a bass-pumping followup to its now-defunct Skullcrusher headphones, set to release as the Crusher. The circumaural cans are said to be designed and engineered in-house, though they do look similar to Logitech UE's over-ears. As we understand it, the "crushing sensation" is handled by a vibrating unit inside of each earcup that's independent from its actual 40mm speaker drivers. Impressively, we're told that the lowend will still pump out if the battery dies unlike similar offerings, such as Sony's Pulse gaming headset. An on-earcup control lets you dial in your preferred level of wub, and the earcups can collapse and rotate for storage. Naturally, a detachable 3.5mm cable with an inline remote / mic is also included. Expect these to hit shelves during March clad in your choice of black, white or red for a cool 100 bones. That's all we've got for now, so keep it locked to our coverage of the show while we try to spot 'em ourselves.
Scattered Shots: A PvE gem and enchant guide for Hunters
Welcome to this week's edition of Scattered Shots, which is dedicated to shiny things and dust.So by now you've seen our normal dungeon gear guide, our heroic dungeon gear guide, our reputation gear guide, and our holiday gift guide. Between all of them, you should be able to put together a nice solid set of gear that should let you tackle 10-man Naxxramas pretty easily. But grabbing the gear is the easy part. To go the extra mile, you need to grab those gems and enchantments. Let's look at some of the best gems and enchantments you can take along to secure your place in the DPS charts in Naxxramas.
Carnegie Mellon's "Crusher" military bot getting $14 million upgrade
Carnegie Mellon's so-called "Crusher" unmanned military vehicle already had quite a bit going for it in its previous incarnation, but it now looks to set to expand its robotized arsenal even further, courtesy of a $14.4 million grant from the Army. According to the university's National Robotics Engineering Center, the updated bot will make use of the "latest suspension, vehicle frame, and hybrid-electric drive technologies to improve upon its predecessor's performance" while also promising to, somewhat ominously, "push the envelope for autonomous and semi-autonomous operation." That the NREC says, should allow the bot to begin working alongside troops in five or ten years, with it initially confined to convoy roles before it puts its autonomous skills to use in "tactical" missions.[Via CNET Military Tech]
CMU's Crusher military bot rumbles onto the scene
Although not quite as stealthy as some of the other spybots that we've seen, the 6.5-ton Crusher UGCV (Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle), with its 8,000-pound payload and one-kilometer range, is certainly more versatile than your typical robosnake or Packbot. Unveiled today by the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) at Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science's Robotics Institute, Crusher, like its predecessor Spinner, was commissioned by DARPA to provide combat troops with a durable cargo and surveillance option that can operate mostly autonomously even in rough terrain. Crusher is powered by a series of electric motors whose batteries are charged with a turbo diesel generator -- giving it a top speed of 26 miles-per-hour -- and manages to avoid obstacles using an array of cameras and ladar lidar. Although its first two years of service will be restricted to support role duties, Army and DARPA officials will use Crusher's performance during the probationary period to evaluate its potential use in combat as well. [Warning: PDF link]
