retro posts
If you're familiar with the emulation scene (and let's be honest, you are reading Engadget), then you know the name ZodTTD -- the brain behind some of the best jailbroken emus for the iPhone, including variations on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and most importantly... the TurboGrafx-16. Now the master-hacker has brought his goods to the Pre, cooking up a version of psx4all on the Palm device, with the aforementioned GBA and TG16 ports on the way! Interestingly, he reports that the performance on the Pre is actually better than that of the iPhone 3GS, and of course he's hacked access to the keyboard, allowing for (more) proper control of games. There are still kinks that are being worked out (sound emulation, screen scaling, etc.), but it looks like we can expect big things in the near future. We at Engadget know everyone will rest a bit easier tonight knowing that real gaming on the Pre is at hand. We'll hopefully be getting our hands on a version soon, but for now hit the read link for more info, and check out the full video after the break!
SNES USB cartridge adapter should set eBay aflame
Sick of having to use your inconvenient mouse and keyboard to do "internet searches" for ROMs of your favorite retro games? Well a gentleman named Matthias might just have the answer to your prayers -- a USB SNES cartridge adapter. The enterprising DIY'er has created a combo hardware and software solution that allows you to plug in your dusty carts directly to your rig, and see the ROMs appear as standalone files which you can then load into the emulator of your choice. Apparently there are still some kinks to work out (like getting data rates up for larger games), and Matthias already has plans underway for a multi-system solution. Still, this is impressive stuff, even if it means we'll have to repurchase any titles we're missing from reputable online auction houses. Hey, at least it'll cut down our visits to "Russian porn sites." Check out the video of the whole thing in action after the break.
World's first camera goes on public display in Macau
If you thought the golden anniversary of Olympus' Pen camera was something, get a load of this. From now until August 23rd, an elaborate exhibition entitled 'The Invention of Photography and the Earliest Photographs' will showcase some of digital imaging's earliest tools, including the planet's oldest camera. The wooden sliding box shown above will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of the Macau-based expo, though it will be surrounded by 250 photography antiques and 180 old photos, which were collections lent by the Nicephore Niepce Museum and 12 other museums, cultural institutions and private collectors around the world. Anyone planning on making the trip over? Make sure you take a few snapshots with your 90s-era point-and-shoot, cool?
Infallibly Polite Speaking Alarm Clock does what it says
Truth be told, there's an alarm clock out there for every type of waker, but this bad boy just might be the most enjoyable (if such a thing actually exists). Sold by the always intriguing Hammacher Schlemmer, the Infallibly Polite Speaking Alarm Clock supposedly "reproduces the subtle wit employed by P. G. Wodehouse's most famous character, the valet Reginald Jeeves." In fact, it plays back 126 fey wake-up messages in the voice of Stephen Fry, with our favorite being the following: "Excuse me sir, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but it appears to be morning... very inconvenient, I agree... I believe it is the rotation of the Earth that is to blame, sir." If only the thing weren't $99.95, we'd have one in every room.
[Via Slashgear]
Update: ThinkGeek has it for just $69.99 -- score! Thanks David!
[Via Slashgear]
Update: ThinkGeek has it for just $69.99 -- score! Thanks David!
Samsung Eternity retrofitted within NES controller, has never looked better
Not that we've never had the pleasure of seeing an NES phone mod before, but there's just something especially elegant about this one. The not-at-all-ancient Samsung a867 Eternity was chosen by one Taylor Merrill to be shoved inside of a now-defunct Nintendo Entertainment System controller. The result, naturally, is what you see above -- er, half of it, anyway. For a look at the whole thing in its entirety, hop on past the break and mash play. Per usual, we take no responsibility for damage dealt to your retro game consoles, existing handsets or pride should you attempt to replicate.
[Thanks, stagueve]
[Thanks, stagueve]
Video: Steampunk Segway ditches electric motor for the sake of authenticity
Wouldn't be caught dead on an honest-to-goodness Segway? How's about this creature? The Legway, an appropriately dubbed steampunk'd Segway, ditches the electric motor in favor of Fred Flintstone-esque motoring techniques, and it also relies almost entirely on recycled materials. The crazy part? Its creator even took the time to hand craft a step-by-step guide to building your own, which undoubtedly foreshadows the real human transporter revolution. Unfortunately, there seems to be no word on whether this thing will also reverse in unstoppable fashion when you least expect it, so stay sharp out there. Vid's after the break, and it's absolutely hilarious.
[Via AutoblogGreen]
[Via AutoblogGreen]
GAME-800 all-in-one handheld tries out a new control scheme
We'll hand it to whatever Chinese company conjured up the GAME-800 -- there's at least a smidgen of ingenuity here. Granted, we suspect it's all for the worse, but we digress. The GAME-800 all-in-one handheld does just about everything save for make calls; we're talking an MP5 (seriously) player, text and photo viewer, camera, NES / GBA emulator and even support for video playback. Internally, you'll spot 4GB of storage, which complements the integrated SD expansion slot nicely. There's also a TV output, 3.5-inch QVGA display, twin 3.5 millimeter headphone jacks and USB 2.0 connectivity. We might say it was actually worth he $69.99 asking price if not for our befuddlement relating to those awkwardly sorted directional arrows, but until we see support for an external game pad, we'll pass.
[Via technabob]
[Via technabob]
Nerd jewelry roundup: Guitar Hero cufflinks, gilded Atari ring and EQ wedding bands

Read - Guitar Hero cufflinks
Read - Atari ring and EQ wedding bands
Dreamcast SD adapter could make for homebrew magic
9.9.99 will always hold a special place in our hearts, and so long as hackers are making the most of Sega's last great console, we'll continue to pay attention. Today, we're doing our best to wrap our minds around the Dreamcast SD Adapter, which could be used to easily bring SD-based homebrew apps and emulators over to the console. It's still a touch unclear what exactly the device would be used to deliver, but needless to say the potential is mind-boggling. Right now, the creators are feeling out the market to see just how many Dreamcast loyalists would be willing to hand over €20 ($26), so if you think you're willing to pony up, tap that read link and let 'em know.[Thanks, Craig]
ReBraun music jukebox is beautifully retro, woefully expensive
Got a thing for vintage, do ya? If so, you owe it to yourself to have a gander at the ReBraun music jukebox, which was modeled after the absolutely stunning Audio 1 Kompaktanlage (circa 1962). This here device is crafted from aluminum and sports twin LCD displays in place of radio scales, and the optional WiFi module gives it a link to legions of internet radio stations. Needless to say, the mix of old and new is downright tear-jerking, but we'd argue the €12,000 ($15,561) price tag is even more so.
[Via today and tomorrow]
[Via today and tomorrow]
Vivitar goes retro with new ViviCam 8027

Vivitar is hardly the only camera manufacturer to go back to its roots with some of its digital offerings, but that's hardly a trend we're going to complain about, especially when the cameras in question are such a marked improved over the company's standard fare. Of course, there's a decidedly less substantial difference once you move beyond the appearance, with this new ViviCam 8027 packing the same 8 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, and 2.4-inch LCD as its blander 8025 counterpart, plus the usual anti-shake measures, a basic movie mode, red eye reduction, and a rechargable lithium ion battery. No word on a price just yet, but it looks like you'll be able to snag this one in your choice of black or yellow in addition to the red.
[Via Chip Chick]
[Via Chip Chick]
Sony plays catch up with hackers, mulling over PSP 'virtual console'
We're pretty sure a good lot of you with PSPs have used them for, shall we say, less than reputable means -- like playing 16-bit era games using emulators. Soon, there might be a more legit outlet for that fix, as Sony's head of US marketing for PlayStation hardware John Koller tells MTV Multiplayer it's looking to bring classics from before Sony entered the arena to the handheld, à la Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. The company's also expanding North America's library of PSOne downloads to eventually match the plethora of titles available to the Japanese market. It's all part of a greater initiative to make more digitally-distributed, download-only titles, which we wholeheartedly support -- now, about those pesky UMD-less PSP2 rumors...
[Via Joystiq]
[Via Joystiq]
Datel kicks the retro up a notch with Famicom Wii controller
If dropping 80 bones on a Wii Super Famicom Classic controller sounds a wee bit insane, how's about a Jackson for a Famicom Wii controller? Datel's Old Skool Retro Controller (seriously, how great is that name?) works with any game that supports the Wii Classic Controller, and the unique "rapid fire" mode should really keep things interesting when firing up the Virtual Console. Can't really go wrong at $19.99, right? Right.
[Via OhGizmo]
[Via OhGizmo]
NES Controller Varsity Jacket would be more awesome with awesome models
At first glance, we actually gagged upon seeing the jacket pictured above. Immediately after regaining our composure, we wondered how on Earth such a magnificent piece of retro kit could have such a negative impact on our lives -- then, it hit us. It's the dude. Seriously. Strap this $200, limited run jacket on anyone even remotely beautiful and we'd bet you too would see things differently. Or maybe it is just obscenely tacky, but it'd be much less so on anyone other than this fellow.
[Via OhGizmo]
[Via OhGizmo]
Commodore 64 emulator brings retro joy to Symbian S60
Have a Symbian S60-based handset in your pocket, do you? If you've a fever that can only be cured by more Commodore 64, you're in luck. The FrodoS60 application brings C64 emulation right to your N95, N96 or any other S60 mobile, and the updated version (1.5) even includes accelerometer support. Head past the break for a quick look at how much joy this little app could bring to your life, and hit the read link if you're interested in getting in on it. Which you are, so stop denying it.
[Via digitoday, thanks Antti]
[Via digitoday, thanks Antti]




























