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Illinois biometric privacy law passes a key court test
Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act just withstood a major challenge. The state's Supreme Court has returned a BIPA dispute back to circuit courts after rejecting claims that would have significantly limited the law's reach. Six Flags had fingerprinted a 14-year-old guest without his parents' approval, violating BIPA's requirement for obtaining consent, but had contended that it wasn't liable if the plaintiff couldn't show evidence of damages. A lower appeals court had sided with Six Flags, but the Supreme Court said this went against "accepted principles" of constructing laws.
Six Flags' new VR roller coaster is both breathtaking and broken
Imagine screaming through deep space, swerving through the wreckage of exploding starships in a high-octane scene plucked straight out of a science fiction movie. Suddenly the universe stops, frozen in time as your body continues to hurl through the void at high speed. Your stomach churns at the realization that it's moving but, somehow, the world around you isn't. That's what happened to me this weekend on Six Flags' Galactic Attack -- a virtual reality roller coaster, available at Six Flags' two California parks, that broke halfway through my ride. Twice.
ICYMI: MIT built a water claw and there's a new VR rollercoaster
Today on In Case You Missed It: MIT's Soft Active Materials Lab showed off its gold-fish-catching hydrogel claw. The robot hand is made entirely of water and is completely invisible when submerged. The lab is hoping the hydrogel hands will be able to conduct delicate surgeries inside humans.
Six Flags and Samsung unveil 'mixed reality' rollercoaster
To many of us, roller coasters are just fine without extra visual stimulation. However, last year, several amusement parks introduced virtual reality devices, letting you fly through space or a gargoyle-infested dystopia. Six Flags and Samsung have done that one better now with the New Revolution Galactic Attack mixed reality experience. As before, Six Flags is using Samsung's Gear VR headset, but now it's using the passthrough camera on the Galaxy phones, letting you see the virtual content overlaid on the real world.
Six Flags adds a gaming twist to its VR roller coasters
Six Flags first announced that it was teaming up with Samsung to outfit roller coaster riders with Gear VR headsets back in the spring. The theme park company is taking its virtual reality project to another level though, adding a gaming component to the immersive visuals. Before now, the addition of VR to rides just added a different visual experience to the ride itself. With the new "Rage of the Gargoyles," riders take flight in an Apache-style helicopter to battle "blood-thirsty" beasts.
Samsung and Six Flags team up for virtual reality roller coasters
If you're making the trek to a Six Flags park this summer, virtual reality will be an option for some roller coasters. The company teamed up with Samsung on a number of virtual reality roller coasters that offer a more immersive experience thanks to Oculus-powered Gear VR headsets. A total of nine rides spread across the US will have the new option, and six of those will show a "New Revolution" futuristic battle to save Earth from an alien invasion. The other three will serve up a Superman-themed VR experience where riders must defeat Lex Luthor during a tour of Metropolis.
Nintendo uses Summer to promote the Wii
Playing your favorite console at home is for suckers, apparently, as Nintendo shot us a press release reminding us that the Wii will be rocking several different venues in the U.S. this Summer. Aside from the cruise ships and theme parks the console has already been confirmed to be available at, Nintendo adds sporting goods retailer Dick's to the list. Dick's, who is sponsoring a Soccer tournament this Summer, will have Wii's on display in various stores during the 53-city-wide tournament. The Wiis will naturally have sports games available for play to all of the kids participating in the tournament, including Wii Sports and Mario Strikers: Charged (after it release on July 30th).[Via press release]
Six Flags and Nintendo team up to give out some Wiis
With all the shortages going on (of course, Nintendo isn't doing much to help that) and the incredible difficulty many are having tracking down a console on days they even know the unit will be in stock, perhaps your desperation is such that you'll try anything to get your hands on one? Well, not anything, but perhaps you're willing to mail a letter? If so, then you can enter in the Six Flags contest where the winner receives (you guessed it) a Wii.Sadly, this contest is only open to U.S. residents above the age of 13, but if all that applies to you, all you need to do is mail a letter or enter in the contest online (check the sweepstakes page on where to go). That's it. Sounds easy, right? Well, we're assuming it is, because as much as we'd like to enter ... well, we won't rub it in.Good luck!
Wii is official console of Six Flags
Nintendo and Six Flags have announced an agreement today, which will see Nintendo's popular console placed for play inside of select Six Flag parks. The console will be available for free play on Wii stations set up in the winning parks. With Six Flags' 26 different parks, none is confirmed to be receiving the Wii at this moment. Nintendo will, in turn, promote Six Flags through a future contest on Nintendo.com.Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro comments on the agreement, stating that he wants Nintendo's audience in his parks. "When this audience is not in our parks, more often than not they are at home playing video games -- and now they can do both in one place." [Via Joystiq]
Nintendo teams up with Six Flags
Theme park chain Six Flags announced today that the Nintendo Wii is now the "Official Gaming Console of Six Flags," meaning that the Wii will be available for free play at "Wii Gaming Stations" at "select Six Flags-branded theme parks" (which of Six Flags' 26 parks will get the Wii is unclear). In exchange, Nintendo will promote Six Flags through an upcoming contest on nintendo.com. The marketing deal seems to be, in part, an effort to lure in kids who would rather stay home and play video game than go to a theme park. "When this audience is not in our parks, more often than not they are at home playing video games -- and now they can do both in one place," Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro said in the release. With the announcement, Nintendo joins companies like Cold Stone Creamery, Kodak and Home Depot in throwing thinly-veiled marketing messages at customers that paid good money just to ride some freaking roller coasters without being bombarded with ads and will you look at these lines I mean where do all these people come from seven dollars for a hamburger what am I made of money next year let's go to the beach. Sheesh! [Thanks awiifemale, Via Reuters]
Megadeth's Gears of War musical
Chris over at Gearheads of War posted a YouTube link of Megadeth's performance of their new Gears of War song from the Six Flags gaming session a few days back. I don't believe this is a video of the entire song and of course it's YouTube quality, but I can't make out a word of it. Actually, it sounds like a lot of electric guitar and screaming... but maybe that kind of music tickles your fancy. Anyway, it's Sunday and you're bored so go check out the vid already. [Via Gearheads of War]
