Qmotions has been hawking various specialty sports controllers for a while now, but it looks like the company is about to take the next-gen plunge with an upcoming skateboard controller called the Qmotions Big Air for the Xbox 360 -- and best of all, Microsoft is going to let the company build official wireless peripherals. That's an honor Microsoft is pretty hesitant to dole out, but it seems like the ability to wirelessly rip up some Tony Hawk swayed J Allard and co. (We hear Ballmer is a monster in the pipe.) No word on price or game compatibility other than "skateboard games currently on the market," but look for this one to ollie into your heart sometime later this year. Amazing 1992-style animated GIF of Qmotions' PS2 XBoard controller, pictured above, after the break.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Sure, hoverboards may be all the rage in a decade or so, but for now, we're going to have to give some serious kudos to these bad boys. Designed, created and sold by Photon Light Boards, these LED-covered skateboards are sure to light up the night (and the streets). Each board can be customized to the hilt and features an on / off switch, a thin Li-ion battery / charger and a protective metal plate along the bottom. Instantly interested in ditching your boring deck for one of these creatures? Hit the read link for all the details and a plethora of photos to boot.

[Via BeSportier]

We know what you're pondering this fine Thursday morning: how can I most effectively put my body in danger while sustaining full dorkiness? All those "action sports" like flipping motorcycles and skiing through avalanches are just way too glamorous. Well, your answer has arrived in the GroundSurf board from Ratleads. The three-wheeled board has an electric motor, and a unique control scheme that allows you to speed and slow the board using touch controls on an HTC phone over Bluetooth. What could possibly go wrong? The board will be out "soon" for somewhere in the neighborhood of two grand.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Granted, the whole Segway-esque skateboard idea has been tossed around (and patented) before, but Tal Ofir decided to conjure up his own design, anyway. Dubbed a "motorized skateboard for an urban environment," this transporter touts a centrally placed wheel and a "computerized weight balance unit" to keep you upright, and it seems that it would be constructed primarily from epoxy and fiberglass. Reportedly, Ofir is fielding interest from potential investors who'd like to make this thing the next Razer scooter, but attaching any sort of hip factor to it will not be a simple task. Click on for another glimpse.

[Via Gizmag]

A guy called Ben Smither from Norwich in the UK has put together a hot-as-the-sun personal scooter / skateboard that takes the totally scalable motorized gyroscopic stabilization concept from Segway, and does it with only a single wheel. In all, the project cost about £300 (~$580) in parts, although Ben didn't elaborate on how long it took to put together. You'll also need to have some level of expertise in electronics if you want to build your own -- test yourself: can you say what a H-Bridge driver is without Googling it? -- although we're sure that before long Ben or someone else will use their capitalist prerogative and start selling flat-pack kits for a premium (if they do, then they better watch out for Sony and their Segway-esque skateboard patent application). Until then, we'll have to keep traveling to places using our legs: oh, what a bore.

[Via hackaday]

Here's another one from the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair 2007, and as was the case on Marsilli's cellphone-controlled car, ZELOX's Skate-Botz are entirely more novel than useful, but we've got no gripes with that. Rather than strapping on the blades and hitting the pavement yourself, ZELOX figures you'll have a lot more fun (and conserve a lot more calories energy) dictating your own skate-equipped bot around the kitchen floor. The remote-controlled Skate-Botz seem to feature a bit more than inline fun, however, as each device is equipped with a flash-based MP3 player strapped on its leg, which can kick out tunes from the chest-mounted speaker or be detached for your own personal usage. Per usual, there's no word on future pricing or availability, but we wouldn't count on seeing these fellows on American soil for awhile anyway.

[Via SlashGear]

It's not quite a hoverboard, but Sony looks to be set to take at least two wheels of the venerable earthbound skateboard (and apparently make up for them in size), if this recent patent its been granted is any indication. Known only as the "vehicle steerable by movement of center of gravity" for the time being, the board appears to be fairly similar in operation to the Segway, with the carrot-nosed rider simply required to lean slightly in the direction s/he wants to go to get the wheels' independent electric motors into gear. Those worried about the prospect of a motor-assisted face-plant will also apparently be able to opt for the relative safety of three of four wheels. Sony also seems to have other possibilities for the technology in mind, including a bicycle configuration and a two-boarded setup, with one foot controlling each. This just being a patent, of course, there's no indication as to when it'll actually be available or how much it'll cost.

[Via New Scientist]

We suppose it's not really fair compare to anybody, even a robot, to our atrocious skills on a skateboard, but it sure looks like PLEN could manage fairly well against us in a street challenge. Even in his time off, PLEN takes to a bit of roller skating, and we already know about his penchant for the dance. Sounds like PLEN is on a mission to set an example for today's young robots in physical fitness, but the $2,200 price tag is still a bit hefty. Still, at 9-inches and 1.54 pounds, PLEN is putting the hurt on most consumer-ish humanoids in the mobility department.

[Via MobileWhack]