Call us cynical, but we just can't see this one working out it. A team of researchers from Umeå University in Sweden are reportedly looking to sync up events on a soccer field to vibrations in a cellphone, essentially enabling you to keep track of the action without having to focus your eyes / ears on the handset. The proposed system could send vibrations to the phone that would act as a way of communicating possession, ball placement and (of course) gooooooooaaallllls, but obviously a few obstacles still stand in the way. For starters, buzzing your mobile through an entire tilt would do a number on the battery life, and even though you could "feel" the action, it would still require a great deal of attention. In all honesty, we'd say this whole system probably has more promise off the pitch than on, but then again, we call football soccer, so what do we know?

[Via UnwiredView]

Let's be honest, gaming chairs in all flavors of "enhancement" from vibration to sound to cup holders and beyond are quickly becoming a dime a dozen -- but the ButtKicker not only takes a different approach to vibration enhancement than other options but also wins the "most notable name" award in the arena. For one thing, it's not a chair -- it's a device you can install on any office chair to add vibration experience to not just gaming but anything producing sound on your computer including music and other media players. There are also two other versions of the device for use in home theater and auto installations (you can retrofit pretty much any old Lazy-boy in your living room). At $99 the gaming-focused version of the ButtKicker is cheaper than a lot of all-in-one gaming chair solutions as well. Oh, and how does the thing feel? Let's just say it tickled us in many nuanced ways.

There's no shortage of vibrating alerts available for your cellphone these days, and while the MBW-100 watch will kindly inform you of whose calling while still looking relatively stylish on your arm, BlueQ's simplified attention getter certainly lacks any hint of fashion. BQ Wireless has unveiled a stripped down wristband that simply sports an internal Bluetooth module, on / off button, and a Transfer button in case your cellphone won't automatically take over the cal from the device. Put simply, this wrist adornment shakes your arm when someone's trying to ring you up, and while this may be somewhat less noticeable than a blaring ringtone in the middle of a crucial interview, it's bound to be exponentially more embarrassing when someone informs you that your articulatio radiocarpea is buzzing uncontrollably. Nevertheless, it's slated to hit retailers in July for $39.95 if you're still interested.

[Via Slashphone]

GETAC's latest rugged laptop does something that most other units simply can't, as it conveniently converts into a tablet while maintaining that beefy stature and war-tested agility. The V100 is fresh out of FCC boot camp, and judging by the documentation, it looks like it's been cleared for civilian handling. Inside the 11.2- x 8.7- x 1.9-inch enclosure sits a 1.2GHz ULV Intel Yonah U2500 Core Duo processor, up to 2GB of RAM, Intel's 945GMS integrated graphics set, a shock-mounted SATA hard drive, gigabit Ethernet, a 56k modem, WiFi, and of course, optional 3G, Bluetooth, and GPS connectivity. You also get your choice of a 10.4-inch XGA or 12.1-inch WXGA screen, a smorgasbord of ports, Windows XP, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a magnesium alloy case that shouldn't have any issues with vibrations, drops, shocks, or extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, there's no details concerning price or a planned release date, but we can't imagine a battlefield-ready convertible landing without some sort of premium.

[Via MobileWhack]

Everything last-gen is new-gen when it comes to the PS3 and its suspiciously absent rumble feature -- at least that's the impression we got from God of War Game Director Cory Barlog, who apparently told 1UP that God of War 3 for PS3 will be 1080p and, more importantly, have vibration (aka rumble, aka force feedback, aka what Sony's been making piss-poor excuses for not having in the PS3 for quite some time). Obviously this is absolutely not a shock considering that Sony and Immersion finally settled and made nice; and we're more than happy to finally have the feature, we're just experiencing a dash of lingering resentment about the facts that a) Sony hadn't been so disingenuous about why the feature wasn't included in the first place (including claims of technical infeasibility) and b) everybody's going to have to buy expensive new controllers for that "last-gen" feature.

[Via Joystiq]

Now that you're packing a cellphone with a vibrating touchscreen, have glasses that rattle your brain if you try to get a bit of shut-eye, and nod your head to the beat of your rumbling headphones, why not put a little shake in your shoes, too? The cleverly named Good Vibrations might sport a website that was probably built in Marky Mark's heyday, but the kicks it sells claim to be therapeutic in nature. The thick-soled shoes feature a non-stick grip, on / off switch, and a rechargeable battery that reportedly provides around five hours of feet shakin' therapy. Designed to massage away the aches and pains throughout the day rather than after the damage is done, these unisex slip-ons are constructed with Spandex, lined with suede, and just might cause fits of laughter if you're the ticklish type. The Good Vibrations shoes are strangely available in just four sizes, leaving most of you with a bit too much (or too little) room inside, but for just about 60 bucks, the fun factor here is probably enough to put aside the fact that they aren't likely to fit.

[Via AmericanInventorSpot]

As if we haven't given you enough devious toys to convert your mundane workplace into World War III, here's one to bring back the peace when cooperation becomes essential to everyone's job again. Japan-based Takaratomy, better known as a Tomy here in the States, has crafted a unique solar-powered desk adornment that should keep you occupied (or get you on edge, one) while toiling away in your cubical. The Kotoridayori (Humming Bird) purportedly belts out various tunes while being powered by those incandescent lights, and throws a few extra tweets in the mix whenever it senses "vibrations." Additionally, it sports a built-in battery to keep things humming (ahem) along when you end up working 'round the clock, and should fit in just about any pocket if you're looking to carry it home. Available in blue, orange, or green, this wee pet should remain novel for about, oh, 20 seconds or so before completely enraging even the most patient office mate, but even if someone ejects it from the premises, you're only out $25.

[Via ShinyShiny]

Although Immersion's VibeTonz technology has been integrated into various Samsung handsets in the past, the shakin' technology was previously limited to ring tone and gaming enhancements. Today, however, Samsung is launching the keypad-less SCH-W559, which is the self-proclaimed "world's first" handset to utilize the VibeTonz system as a means of tactile feedback. The unit's QVGA touchscreen is meant to be a hands-on experience, and whether you use a stylus or the tips of your finger, the phone will provide a vibrating cue, which can be adjusted and customized within the phone's software, whenever you touch a virtual button. Immersion claims that its technology allows the on-screen buttons to feel more like "mechanical keys" rather than just a sheet of plastic. The device will be launching solely on China Unicom initially, will support both CDMA / GSM networks, and will feature a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, handwriting recognition capability, and audio / video playback functions to boot. Of course, users will be able to pimp out their ringtones with integrated buzzing, and while we're not sure how much Samsung plans on charging for the rumbler, we can't wait for it to start shaking things up here on American soil.

[Thanks, Peter S.]

After a long, hard day spent fixing that ever-present paper jam in the office printer, it's nice to kick back in iJoy's ZipConnect while letting the iGoGo personal massager sooth away your aches and pains to the tune of your favorite Breakfast Club jam. But Ntech wants to add one more aspect to your already jubilating experience by tossing an extra vibe directly on your ear. The NVE 100B is an "earring-style" Bluetooth earphone designed to simply clip onto your ear, with the front half pumping out music while the backside thumps to the beat. Strangely enough, the company actually expects the non-intrusive earbud to "prevent possible auditory disease," but we're assuming you take a major hit in sound quality to accomplish such a precaution. Nevertheless, these oddly sensational (albeit probably dysfunctional) earclips should be available on the Korean market just before the year's end for a currently undisclosed price.

It's time again for one of our favorite segments, CE-Oh no he didn't! For this week's episode, we're going to talk a little bit about the PS3. Now, we all know that the new PS3 isn't going bring the rumble to our favorite upcoming Sony gaming console. But what we didn't know was why -- yes, yes there were claims that it had to do with interference of motion sensing, or lawsuits from Immersion, but we hadn't gotten a clear reason straight from the horse's mouth, particularly when surveys suggest fans would be willing to pay for it. However, a recent interview by GameDaily Biz with SCEA prez Kaz Hirai says that it's yet another reason altogether:

"Is it technically feasible? Absolutely. But the balancing act that you need to do, is to be able to present the controller to the consumer at an affordable price."

Affordable? Please. Joystiq points out that a G-Pad Pro for the PS2, which has motion sensing and vibration, costs $30, a whole Lincoln higher than the Dual Shock. C'mon Kaz, can't you at least be straight with us? Now of course, this is from the same folks who said that just a few months ago said that the $500 PS3 was "too cheap," and is well worth the markup compared to the Wii, but backtracked when the company recently dropped the price in Japan. Maybe that means the prices of the controllers are going to come down too?

[Via Joystiq]