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Forza Horizon 4's Super7 mode lets you play and design stunt challenges
Forza Horizon 4 has been out for two years now, but it’s been kept fresh with no less than 30 updates since release. Now, developer Playground Games has introduced something completely different: a stunt mode called Super7 with a “Blueprint Builder” designer.
Watch a Porsche Taycan break the Guinness World Record for an EV drift
Porsche driving instructor Dennis Retera drifted a Porsche Taycan EV for 55 minutes and 26.2 miles, setting a new Guinness world record.
Report: Nintendo will repair Switch Joy-Cons with 'drift' issue for free
Nintendo has reportedly instructed customer support representatives to offer free Joy-Con repairs with "drift" issues for free. According to an internal memo obtained by Vice, the gaming giant has told support reps not to charge customers for Joy-Con repairs if the controllers are manifesting the infamous drifting behavior that causes them to move things on the screen on their own. They were even told that it's no longer necessary to request for proof of purchase -- they can take customers at their word. In addition, Nintendo has apparently advised representatives to issue refunds if they previously paid for a Joy-Con repair, which typically costs $40 or so.
Nintendo faces class action lawsuit over Switch controller 'drift'
As successful as the Nintendo Switch has been, there's been a consistent headache: Joy-Con drift. Many gamers have reported the controllers' analog sticks registering non-existent input (hence drifting), forcing players to either adapt or send the peripherals in for repairs. There may be legal pressure to do something, though. Lawyers at Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith have filed a class action lawsuit in the US against Nintendo alleging that its sells Joy-Cons knowing they're "defective." The suit also maintains that Nintendo refuses to fix the drifting for free, and hasn't even acknowledged the issue despite widespread reports.
Big toys for the big kid in all of us
Some of the toys we played with as children have grown up along with us and now they pack adult-sized fun. Memorable designs have bubbled up into lifestyle products with smarts, but most offer what we always loved them for: an action-packed thrill. Sure, we can drive real cars now, but that doesn't diminish the urge to drift on a motorized Big Wheel. Skateboards and pogo sticks have powered up over the years, too, and hoverboards can now actually hover. This week we pay tribute to the big kid inside each of us with a lineup of reinvented, rebuilt and improved versions of playtime classics. [Image: Local Motors]
New VR game lets you be the bullet
Remember Superhot? It let you dodge bullets by controlling time à la The Matrix, but a new VR game takes that premise even farther by making you the bullet. Drift is a game for Samsung's Gear VR, developed by a pair of programmers during the course of Oculus' Mobile VR Jam. The idea is pretty simple: after a bullet is fired from a gun, your viewpoint changes to its trajectory. Time is considerably slowed down and you can alter the bullet's path by looking left or right. You move around the bizarre orange environment past the crash test dummy-like characters until you spot your target: the green guy.
Another Steam Machine is coming, this one from Maingear
If you thought the Steam Machine news would be limited to Valve's announcement, well you're not quite right. Maingear's back to give the the platform another go with the Drift. What's in the aluminum box? An Intel i7-4790K processor mated with either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 or an AMD Radeon R9 290X -- both of which are 4K capable. What's more, Maingear boasts that its Steam OS machine can hold up to 16GB of DDR RAM, a pair of 1TB solid state drives and a single 6TB hard drive as well. Those options alone will almost assuredly drive the price a bit beyond the $849 (!!!) baseline Mainger's asking.
Drift's latest action camera is half the size of its ancestor
Drift Innovation is a seasoned veteran of the action camera world, but there's no question that it's facing a lot of pressure lately; models like the Ghost S are huge next to rivals like the GoPro Hero4. The company's newly launched Stealth 2 camera might just come to the rescue, though. While it captures 1080p video at 30 frames per second instead of 60 like its Ghost S predecessor, it's also just half the size and 40 percent lighter -- rather important when you may be strapping this device to your head. However you use it, the new Stealth should last for a respectable three hours of recording. It also comes with modern conveniences like WiFi remote control and a 300-degree rotatable lens that adapts to difficult shooting positions. This shooter doesn't tout 4K video or other luxuries, but you're also paying $249. That's a solid bargain for a tiny adventure cam that makes relatively few compromises.
Drift's new Ghost S action camera is tough, feature-rich and ready to take on the competition (hands-on)
Drift Innovation has been making action cameras for some time now. Today sees its latest offering -- the Ghost S -- hit stores globally. What's new this time? Well there's the usual assortment of video improvements: 1080p at 60fps, new "scene" modes and better low-light recording. There's also a dramatically improved battery, that now offers 3.5 hours of recording at standard 1080p/30fps. Impressive. But, perhaps more significant that that, Drift is stepping forward as a brand. It's no secret this market is dominated by one major player, a situation only accentuated by the recent demise of its next best known competitor. But, while all this was going on, Drift has kept its head down and concentrated hard on continually revising its products. As the marketing parlance goes, the Drift Ghost S is its best camera yet, but also a metaphorical stone from David's sling. Are we about to see the action camera market get the all important "other option" it desperately needs? We spent some time with the Ghost S -- one of the most promising candidates yet -- to find out.
Drift HD Ghost helmet cam available to pre-order today for $400 (video)
Drift has updated its HD action camera to help you better document your Baumgartner-esque death defying acts. The Drift HD Ghost gets a two-inch LCD screen with a refreshed control setup and chunky, 1,700mAh battery. The company is boasting that audio on this new unit should be greatly improved (something we took issue with last time out) so the world can hear your blood-curdling screams as you plummet through the stratosphere. It's available to pre-order from today for $399, with the device set to begin shipping from November 19th.
Drift HD helmet cam review
What a difference a year makes, yeah? 13 months ago, we were giving Drift Innovation's latest helmet cam (the HD170) a run through the gauntlet, and now, we're giving that unit's proper successor the same treatment. The simply-named Drift HD action camera is largely the same type of device, albeit one that's 25 percent shorter (this one's just four inches long) and offers a replaceable lens. Moreover, there's a waterproof casing that's on the way, though said shell wasn't ready during our testing phase. The company managed to include a 300-degree rotating lens (complete with a 170-degree field of view) and a couple of capture options: 1080p/30fps and 720p/60fps. The concept should be well-ingrained into the head of technophiles by this point: if you're looking for a camera to mount upside your noggin' (or on your vehicle of choice), this is what you're after. But is the new and improved Drift HD capable of taking on the GoPros of the world while justifying its $369 asking price? Read on. %Gallery-130072%
Drift Innovation helmet cam shoots 1080p, sports a rotating lens and built-in LCD
Drift Innovation's HD170 is far from the "world's first" HD helmet cam -- heck, it's not even the first that does 1080p -- but we'll admit it's an attractive proposition on paper thanks to a tiny 1.5-inch color LCD and built-in speaker. While those let you verify your death-defying stunts were captured appropriately, an adjustable lens promises more freedom in the way you attach it, too, and at $329, the rest of the specs (30fps, H.264 compression, 5 megapixel stills, 1110 mAh battery, up to 32GB SDHC card) are more or less competitive with the other elephants in the room. Though we certainly can't recommend it without getting some hands-on time first, Drift's got some video samples after the break if you'd like to see how well the POV cam handles the open road and some skydiving Gs.
Drift Style racing series premieres on Rush HD tonight
Joining NASCAR, Indy, off road and Mustangs in this season's HD racing schedule is a brand new series focused on drift racing. Rush HD premieres Drift Style tonight at 8:30 p.m. on the Voom HD network. If you're (still) not familiar with the sport, its a competition mixing speed with style as drivers take their heavily customized street cars around the track. We're glad to see more new original content on Voom, for more info on this weekly series check the full PR after the break.
The 2006 Engadget Awards: Vote for Cellphone of the Year
Now's your chance to cast your ballot for the 2006 Cellphone of the Year! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Monday, April 16th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best tech win! The nominees: Danger Sidekick 3, Helio Drift, LG Chocolate, LG CU500, Motorola KRZR, Samsung Sync, and Sony Ericsson K800i. %Poll-331%
Got cash in the new phone budget? Do some good
'Tis the season for giving, which leaves the rabid phone fans among us in a tight spot: how do we get in on a little new mobile tech for ourselves and help those less fortunate at the same time? Our friends over at Phone Scoop are hoping to fill the bill by auctioning off a handful of hot, current handsets graciously provided by carriers and manufacturers with all proceeds going to benefit The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria -- the same fund (RED) benefits. Loot includes a T-Mobile Dash, LRG Sidekick 3, Motorola MOTOKRZR K1, unlocked Samsung i320, M500 for Sprint, and BlackJack, and a Helio Drift (see, we told you the goods were hot). Bidding will take place via Phone Scoops' forums, with all auctions ending this Friday. Bid generously, and bid to win!
Helio Drift official: $225 in black or white
Ushering in what appears to be an ongoing partnership with Samsung, Helio has officially taken the wraps off its Drift slider. While it might not be able to run with the latest and greatest that Korea has to offer in its domestic market, the Drift looks to stand head and shoulders above the lion's share of handsets in US circulation with a fairly impressive spec sheet. Besides the expected QVGA display, decent storage (128MB, to be exact) with microSD expansion, 2 megapixel shooter and EV-DO, the Drift sports a true GPS receiver. That in itself isn't terribly notable or interesting, but Helio's bundling the Drift with a GPS-enabled version of Google Maps, which when you take into account the routing, real-time traffic, and satellite view capabilities, might make a dedicated nav system obsolete for some users. Helio's also using the launch as an opportunity to introduce "Buddy Beacon," a location-based system in the same vein as Loopt for locating and mapping a preselected list of friends. Add in a web browser that's been revamped for speed and A2DP support, and the Drift -- in either white or black -- suddenly seems like a bargain at the $225 asking price.
Say hello to the Helio "Drift"
Word has it we're looking here at Samsung's first entry for Helio, christened the "Drift." Coming hot on the heels of news that the Kickflip is no more, the glossy black Drift appears to be more of a phone in the Hero vein on account of its slider form factor. It'll apparently come equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth (something the Kickflip sorely lacked) with A2DP, and a QVGA display, though we can't yet confirm that it'll be rocking the aforementioned Java platform from XCE. We'll pass on more Drift news as we get it, but expect the phone to launch fairly shortly.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
HD DVD gets pimped in Tokyo Drift commercial
You know that hot, new HD DVD release right around the corner? No, not Batman Begins, but The Fast and The Furious, Tokyo Drift. Just a quick side note here, we had the opportunity to peep this title at the CEDIA show and lets just say wow -- talk about a movie that is meant for HD. Anyways, HD DVD gets the same treatment that Sony Studios has been using for months by indicating that the title is going to be available on standard DVD and HD DVD as well during a Monday Night Football commercial spot. We are glad to see that the HD DVD Promotional Group is finally using some of the $150 million allotted for marketing on something besides a tour bus; even though that tour bus was hot.
