Next-genPcDesignCompetition
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AlphaGrip Handheld Computer concept mimics Atari Jaguar controller
You never really know what you're going to get when peering through entries in Microsoft's Next-Gen PC Design Competition, and the above pictured device is definitely evidence of that. The AlphaGrip Handheld Computer (or AlphaGrip HC, for short), boasts full-size rocker keys on the front along with a flip-up display and a keypad made specifically for thumb-typing. There's also a trackball for mousing about and a slew of buttons to handle "sophisticated PC games" while standing on a crowded subway. Still, we can't help but notice just how much this thing reminds us of our days tinkering with the defunct-from-birth Atari Jaguar, and we also can't imagine anyone with a shred of dignity ever pulling this abomination out in public. Kudos for imagination, though.[Via OhGizmo]
Microsoft announces Next-Gen PC Design Competition winners
Taking a break from all the actual products being announced at this week's WinHEC conference, Microsoft has used the opportunity to announce the winners of its Next-Gen PC Design Competition, none of which you'll likely be able to get your hands on anytime soon. Taking home the $25,000 Chairman's Award was the MADE in China PC designed by John Leung of AARIVE Design (seen above), which was "specifically designed to bring computing closer to the world's 1.3 billion Chinese." Apparently, the surface of the device is actually a touchscreen, with the so-called "CHOPstylus" used for input. Among the Judge's Awards, the "blok" PC intended for use in kindergarten classrooms snagged first-place, incorporating building-blocks, keyboard mats, and digital markers into its design. Other winners include the BulbPC, designed to fit inside a standard grommet hole on a desk, and the Zeed+ for the Future PC, which is based on "Ikebana," the Japanese art of formal flower arrangement (upgrades are apparently done simply by replacing the "flowers"). Lastly, the People's Choice Award went to Zhu Fei's "Light up your Life" design, which consists of a "glowing cylindrical orb" that can act as a flashlight, portable multimedia player, or mobile phone. Check out the gallery below for a closer look at all the winners.[Via AARIVE]%Gallery-3165%
