Two things: first off, craptastic pool cue Wiimote accessories are already widely available, and secondly, couldn't you just duct tape a controller to your favorite real cue and achieve almost the same thing? Terrible ideas aside, RealMotion has just revealed that it will be shipping a RealMotion Pool Cue companion accessory for its upcoming title, American Pool Deluxe. Reportedly, the unit is a "meticulously crafted cue built specifically to take advantage of the Wii remote's accelerometer technology for real precision and fun," but we'll have to envision it until the company gets smart enough to distribute a photo. Or is it really that embarrassing?

[Via IGN]

Here's a novel idea: rather than stressing over the choice between solar or hydroelectric power sources to keep that green data center running, just build the thing near a community pool. Apparently that's exactly what's happening in Uitikon, Switzerland, as an IBM-built center erected for GIB-Services AG is using its excess heat to warm a local swimming pool. Put simply, the warmth emitted by the computers will be piped through a heat exchanger to boost the temperature of water used in the neighboring pool, and while the town had to cover some of the equipment costs to make it come together, it'll reap the oh-so-steamy benefits for free.

[Via FashionFunky, thanks Yash]

The folks at iRobot updated the Verro pool-cleaning robots much to the chagrin of our pool boy, Philip, who's getting his walking papers next week. The new 100 and 500 models join the current 300 and 600 to cover a wide array of price ranges, and probably meet most -- if not all -- of your exacting standards for water-body cleanliness. The 100 comes in at the low-end of the spectrum at $399, though it will navigate and clean any flat-bottomed pool you throw its way; the Rolls-Royce of poolbots, the 500, will do floors and walls alike for $999. Of course, you won't know anything about that -- you'll be busy lounging, working on your tan, and trying to figure out whether you want the Bentley Brooklands or Azure (hint: the Azure!).

While we've seen some fine marriages between game room entertainment and over the top electronic heaven, Heiron & Smith's flagship pool table just entered a league of its own. The aptly-dubbed Executive measures eight- x four-feet, sports Australian molded cushion rubber, Italian slate, handmade pocket nets, and some of the finest cloth England had to offer. The good stuff, however, consists of a side-mounted LCD TV, stereo with flat-panel speakers, neatly adorned PlayStation 2, racks for your books, games, and other media, and of course, a mirrored indention to stock the sauce. Unfortunately, it'll take a phone call to figure out how many thousands this thing will set you back, and unless you live Down Under (or own a barge), you won't be acquiring one anyway.

[Via TechDigest]

Considering your mind is probably more focused on that upcoming trip to the slopes than your thoroughly frozen outdoor pool, you probably aren't in any dire need of a floating iPod speaker system in the midst of January, but nevertheless, Atlantic's bringing it to you. Aside from always staying on the sunny side of whatever liquid it's in, the plastic shell also touts a pair of (presumably weak) stereo speakers and the ability to house your dock-connecting iPod. Reportedly, the device is waterproof enough to withstand pool parties and showers, and can supposedly operate for 30 hours on just four AA batteries. While the EGO has been floating around (ahem) briefly, the firm plans to officially launch it during next week's CES, but those eager to get their swim trunks on in the middle of winter can find one now for around $115.

[Via TGDaily]

Swimming is fun, but drowning, most certainly, is not. The makers of SenTAG know this, and have developed a system that monitors swimmers' depth and motion, alerting them, with a series of alarms and LEDs, if they might be in danger. The set-up, which is designed mostly for public swimming holes, consists of radio/ultrasound transmitters (worn around swimmers' wrists) and a base station that alerts rescue personnel if someone isn't responding to the alarm. No building modification is required for installation, meaning there won't be any wires running through or around the water and operating cost is kept relatively low. The most exciting part for us, though, is that the whole rescue process is now one step closer to being completely electronic. Eventually, the SenTAG could be used to signal a Strider robot, which could drag the victim back to land where the CPR bot could be applied. But, don't worry lifeguards, that day is still a long way off.

Ah, summer; the season to kick back by the pool with a cool drink and catch up on all the reruns you've been saving to your DVR. What, you don't want to bring your TV and set-top down to the pool and risk splashing them a little? Well, neither do we. And that's why we're planning on picking up a Princeton PTV-WWTV7 wireless, waterproof display for the Engadget beach house. The seven-inch LCD, due out in Japan this June for 49,800, comes with a built-in battery and WiFi receiver, and a separate unit houses a transmitter that also includes an analog tuner and S-video and composite inputs for other video sources. And, according to Princeton, it really is waterproof, and can be used in the kitchen, bathroom and by the pool, though they don't recommend actually tossing it in the water. That's fine with us; this will be perched on our rubber float all summer long.