Tgs2010
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NeuroSky shows off upcoming Mindwave headset, other new chip applications
We've seen plenty of applications for NeuroSky's brainwave-sensing chip already, but it looks like we're going to be seeing... more. Luckily, some of these are pretty neat. A sweat-band embedded "Thket Brain Athlete" product will allow athletes and trainers to track concentration levels through a workout or through a particular activity (a golf swing, for instance) and analyze that performance later. An iPad app (for the Japanese market, we're assured) allows you to concentrate on a girl avatar until she kisses you. Just like real life! NeuroSky itself will be selling its own Mindwave headset (a PC version of the iOS-compatible XWave) starting as soon as next month, which will be packed with a few games. Of course, the technology is still a little rough and one dimensional -- it can track attention, meditation, and blinks -- and NeuroSky is still on the lookout for the "killer app," but as it gets cheaper and more ubiquitous, we're sure to see some good come out of this nascent market. The Brain Athlete band and software should be out next month for $350, while NeuroSky's headset will retail for a much more palatable $80-$100. Check out video of both after the break. %Gallery-102931%
Caption contest: not feeling so Mega today
This year's Tokyo Game Show is naturally full of people in interesting costumes, but there was just... something about this Mega Man that caught our eye, making him stand out from the sea of similarly giant-headed mascots. Despite having a laser for an arm he just didn't look like he was having a particularly good day. Josh T.: "Ladies, here's one you don't want to miss. Tall, handsome, shoots fireballs, ice, or electricity from his left arm, total sex machine. Bidding starts at $200." Tim: "You'd be making this face too if you had a saggy diaper that leaks." Darren: "P90x... what a rip-off." Paul: "If I have to star in one more shameless reissue cash-in..." Sean: "...but not as dour as the day he posed for the original Mega Man box art." Vlad: "Stewie was far from happy. He'd specifically asked for an aquamarine supervillain outfit, not turquoise. Philistines!" Chris: "When he gets like this, autograph sessions usually end in a fatality or two." Richard Lai: "Have you seen the size of his cannon in the Mega Man movie? No wonder he's mad."
Pictures of Sony's new technicolor PSPs, and Monster Hunter 3 Special Edition preview
Nothing spices up waning interest in an aging console like a special edition, and while one could say that announcing three special editions is something of a stretch for the word "special," these certainly are some... vibrant color schemes. At its press event yesterday, Sony announced a couple of new, pupil-assaulting two-tone color schemes for the PSP, along with a Monster Hunter edition that left many an otaku fainting in the aisles thanks to its gold highlights and redesigned analog nub. Read on for our impressions of all three noble beasts. %Gallery-102521%
PlayStation Move shooting attachment preview: it's a shooting attachment!
We're not sure what we were expecting to experience when we picked up this gun-style "shooting attachment" for the PlayStation Move, but it was hardly full of surprises. Basically, it's a comfy, lightweight attachment that makes holding your Move controller feel like holding a gun, and pulling the trigger button feel like pulling a trigger. We do love the retro look, quality Sony construction (we're pre-rolling our eyes at the inevitable crappy third party versions and their inferior plastics) and pretty much everything else about the attachment. The biggest perk is that for shooting games you'll be able to hold your arm out straight more naturally, instead of pointing "up" at the screen with the traditional Move controller grip. Unfortunately, the Big 3 Gun Shooting title we tested it on wasn't showing off 1:1 aiming to really let us know how this would feel in that scenario, but for the on-rails-shooter lovers out there (the attachment puts the face buttons out of thumb's reach, so it's useless for more in-depth games like SOCOM 4 or Killzone 3) we'd say there are worse things you could spend $20 on. Check it out on video after the break. %Gallery-102526%
Ctrl+S PS3 controller for professionals and burgeoning arthritics
We really thought we'd seen it all when it comes to handheld video game controllers, but this upcoming "Ctrl+S" model from UNIQ brings a surprising quantity of new ideas. The most basic innovation is the weird "UNIQ wing" that sticks out from the rear edges of the controller, allowing you to passively support the controller with the insides of your index fingers instead of having to "grip" the controller to hold it up. Yeah, that sounds lazy, but the idea is to reduce muscle stress and cramps, which makes sense for people who game a few hours a day. The relaxed posture is also supposed to help improve thumb mobility, though we'll have to test it out with a game to see if that's actually the case. Around back are some nicely oversized and easily worked analog triggers, along with a grid of repositioned "face buttons." The feel of the prototype we were playing with felt just a little too light and a little too "cheap," but that's typical for prototypes, and the promises of improved ergonomics and optimized control placements are certainly compelling. The best news is that the controller will be highly customizable, with tweaks available for the analog sticks, "wings," and even the force feedback motors. We'll see how well this impacts gameplay when the controller hits the market in December for $69.99. Check it out on video after the break. %Gallery-102525%
PS3 holds breath waiting for Gran Turismo 5 release, turns blue at TGS
We knew it was coming, and now here it is: Sony's special edition PS3. To commemorate the impending release of GT5 the console is turning blue, and while the rather vibrant version we saw in the official press photos from August didn't do much for us, seeing the thing in the flesh (admittedly behind glass) gave us quite a different impression. It has the same matte finish as the current PS3 slim, but the rich blue gives it almost a metallic effect. It's really quite a looker, and while we wouldn't normally splurge for such "special" editions, how often does a new Gran Turismo come around? Once a decade at most. This Gran Turismo 5 Racing Pack hits Japan on November 3 for 35,980 yen. That's about $420 of those dollars you've been saving for oh so long. %Gallery-102523%
3D Blu-ray on the PS3: it works! (video)
We've been waiting for 3D Blu-ray support to hit the PS3 for a good long while now, and Sony's been promising it would happen for, well, exactly that same amount of time. Yesterday the company confirmed that the 3D-enabling 3.50 firmware update is less than a week away, dropping on September 21, and here's proof that it works: a demonstration unit up and running at TGS. Fully animated evidence after the break. %Gallery-102527%
Final Fantasy XIV wireless router sure to make the next 14,000 hours of your life zip by
Our first impulse when we spotted this abstractly formed Final Fantasy XIV-branded 802.11n router on the TGS show floor was that Planex Communications was some sort of rogue IP-infringing KIRFufacturer. It turns out that's not the case. Planex Communications is a totally upstanding manufacturer of all things networking and Japanese-video-games-branded, and the fact that this ¥9,980 (about $116 US) router was located a few feet from Square Enix's own booth should quell any other misgivings. Now, as for misgivings about dedicating the majority of your life over the next couple years to another treadmill of XP, loot, and Moogles, those are in your hands. %Gallery-102486%
Microsoft announces five new exclusive Kinect games from Japanese developers
From what we're feeling, consumer sentiment on the Kinect seems rather divided, and frankly the opinions of those within the Engadget team is similarly split. Ultimately, though, it won't be the hardware itself that decides the fate of this peripheral, it'll be the games. At E3 this year Microsoft didn't really wow us with any Kinect titles that turned the thing into a must-buy, but the five games announced today are at least showing some creativity and a lot of potential. Read on for all the details. %Gallery-102413%
Live from Sony's TGS 2010 press conference
Microsoft has had its time in the sun, kicking things off here at the 2010 Tokyo Game Show. Now it's Sony's turn with its press conference. This is a somewhat smaller affair and, unlike Microsoft's, is being conducted entirely in Japanese -- with no translation provided. We're relying heavily on Ittousai, our international man of mystery, to tell us what's going on, and then we'll do our best to tell you what's going on. Sound like fun? It sure does, so come along and click on through.
We're live from TGS 2010 in Tokyo!
Yeah, we're braving the cultural divide and on the ground in Tokyo, Japan for the Tokyo Game Show 2010, which will be happening over the next few days. Naturally, being Engadget, we'll be focusing on the hardware side, with stuff like Move, Kinect, and the possible (if unlikely) 3DS sighting, but if you need a full-on games fix, you can head over to Joystiq for all of that sort of news. It's a collaboration of the highest order. Trust us.
Live from Microsoft's TGS 2010 press event
It's a stormy, miserable day in Tokyo. The rain is falling sideways and the wind is whistling its way through the sea of vending machines, but inside the Makuhari Messe convention center it's warm and dry. That's good, because that's where the games are, and that's where we are, hanging out with Major Nelson and the crew from Joystiq. Microsoft is about to kick off the 2010 Tokyo Game Show and we have the blow-by-blow waiting for you just a click away.
