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Swings and suspension wire help make VR feel far more real
If you're obsessed with the rise and rise of virtual reality, the last few weeks have been busy. SXSW was followed by GDC, and both events made a huge deal on the potential of the new platform / media format, / technology. This time, we're hopping across the Pacific Ocean to Tokyo, where media company Recruit is hosting "The Future Amusement Park" -- which is a bit of a stretch. Recruit is the same organization that showcased some unusual tech for restaurants a few years back, and this time around it believes its VR demos and experiences exceed what we've seen before, coining the brave term; "Super VR". Unlike the virtual arcade we saw at Sundance, the theme here was more about adding physical stimulus outside the headset: wind, water and, well, wings. Become a penguin, (literally) swinging above the Tokyo skyline, and taking to a tiny soccer field with only one hand. Huh? Let's strap on some goggles and see.
Newell: Valve building Source 2 engine, Ricochet 2 is in development
Valve head honcho Gabe Newell got a visit from fans on 4chan.org's /v/ board for his birthday, and after paying $2.50 to unlock a real-life Mann Co. crate with a TF2 Soldier hat inside, he stuck around to talk shop. The first question (Newell specifically warned against questions about Half-Life 3) was, paraphrased from the above recording, "Is Valve working on a new Source engine?"Newell answered, "We've been working on new engine stuff for a while." The audio then became garbled, but subtitles read, "We've just been waiting for a game to roll it out with." Regardless of the incomprehensible audio, someone asked a straightforward follow-up question: "Is it more than just an extension to Source? Like, is it an entirely new engine?""Yeah," Newell said.In August a group uncovered code for a "Source 2 engine" in the Source Filmmaker application, alongside "Source 2 tools" icons. The engine was labeled "next-gen."Also during /v/'s Valve takeover, Newell and co. confirmed that Ricochet 2 is in development.
HTC One V arriving in the US 'this summer'
HTC has announced that it'll be showcasing the One V at CTIA this week, but also, more importantly, that the final piece of the One family puzzle will arrive on "a variety of US partners later this summer." Nothing more concrete than that at the moment, although we reckon a handful of regional carriers might be tempted to stock the hardy Legend tribute smartphone.
Kisai Rogue Touch Pocket Watch from Tokyoflash keeps things dapper, semi-hard to decipher (video)
Yeah, we're well aware that our fascination with unique and multi-hued timepieces may be more of an obsession. Well, you can add another to the list with the Kisai Rogue Touch Pocket Watch from Tokyoflash. Enclosed by a stainless steel case with brushed edges, the $149 timekeeper makes use of a LCD display with LED backlights in your choice of four color options. The watch's face is protected by a spring-hinged cover and crystal lens. You'll notice a similar dial design to that of the Rogue Touch of the wrist wrapping variety, as this watch also sports four hot-zones for switching between modes. Capable of displaying two time zones, along with date and an alarm, the pocket watch uses an animation to monitor the hours instead of those clunky mechanized arms. If you're wanting a closer look hit the gallery below, and to see the timepiece in action, peep the video just past the break. %Gallery-141301%
The Perfect Ten: MMO cataclysms
Today sees the launch of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, which represents a destructive "reboot" button on the world of Azeroth. The old has been made new by virtue of fiery explosions that have rent the very earth in twain, and WoW gamers will have to find their footing all over again. As you might imagine, it's made one big-ass mess, which is compounded by the fact that there are no janitor classes in the game to sweep it up (the next hero class, perhaps?). However, the notion of an in-game cataclysm is hardly the sole domain of Activision-Blizzard; on the contrary, large-scale apocalypses pop up all the time in MMOs. After all, nothing grabs the attention like the end of the world (but hey, you still feel fine)! In a list that in no way is meant to capitalize on any expansions that may or may not be on the market, we're going to strap on our Kevlar suits, slather our arms with 1000 SPF sunblock, and take a brief tour of 10 worlds that have dated cataclysms -- and lived to tell the tale.
iPhone is first smartphone to visit alien mothership, gets reception
Good news folks. When the aliens arrive our iPhones will work on their ships, at least according to the new V television series [iTunes link]. The iPhone has been seen twice on the show so far, both times being toted by the human traitor Tyler Evans, the second time when Tyler flies on up to the mothership floating over NYC. Admittedly, he is using the iPhone to take pictures of the alien lizard hottie Lisa, so his treason might be forgivable under the circumstances. But come on Ty, you've got video recording on that 3GS. Next time she does this, how about a little filming?
Poll: Did you like the new show V?
The ratings are in and ABC's V was the highest rated series premier this season with a rating of 5.0, a 13 share which equals 13.9 million viewers. Of course this doesn't mean that many actually liked it and since we were pretty split here at Engadget HD, we wanted to know what you thought of this new Si-Fi show. %Poll-36532%
Kohjinsha's new L and V-series UMPCs get GPS, higher screen resolutions
Kohjinsha's UMPCs might have gotten a little overshadowed by the Eee, but the company is making a renewed push with two new models. The new L series replaces the SA series, retaining the aging AMD Geode chipset but upgrading the keyboard and bumping the touchscreen resolution to 1024x600, while the V series replaces the K series, keeping the Intel A110 chipset but adding GPS and a 7mm optical drive. Both models should be shipping in the middle of the month, but there's no word on pricing -- we'll let you know if we hear any numbers at CES.[Via jkkmobile]
LG sets up $25,000 texting contest -- with a catch
Where we come from, trying to participate in a texting context with a QWERTY device is called "cheating," but we guess LG has some obligation to push the text-tastic capabilities of its V and enV handsets, so we'll cut 'em some slack here. In fact, the V and enV are the only devices LG's allowing in the competition -- with active Verizon service to match, of course -- so we suppose that sorta levels the playing field a bit. It seems LG wants to turn this into a costal battle, too, with the West Coast qualifier going down on the 31st of this month and its eastern counterpart rocking on the 21st of April; the winner from each gets ten grand and a trip to New York City to compete in the $15,000 final. Good luck, cheaters (don't worry, we still love ya).
Final Fantasy V and VI trailer
The Final Fantasy, much to our enjoyment, never ends. What started as a final attempt became an RPG icon. Final Fantasy has dominated for nearly 20 years now as new installments are released. Square Enix, in their attempts to reach every gamer possible, has made plans to re-release older titles on the GameBoy Advance. They have already released Final Fantasy I/II Dawn of Souls and Final Fantasy IV. Carrying on with the tradition, Final Fantasy V and VI are making their way into our homes. We have already shown you pictures, the web site and now we are offering you a promo video featuring lots and lots of words we can't read. This makes us a sad panda bear. Enjoy! As usual, see the video after the break. [Via Go Nintendo]
