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Robocouch takes students to class without all of that exercise nonsense
There's a different kind of two-seater roaming the sidewalks of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia: a motorized couch. Thanks to the efforts of a few engineering students, what started as a joke amongst friends is now a Xbox gamepad-controlled robotic sofa. Under the cushions, there's an electric scooter motor and an armrest-mounted Raspberry Pi to wrangle the vehicle's four independent wheels. All told, it took a group of nine students a year to get the kinks worked out of the mechanical, software and assembly systems. "We were thinking about making a fridge robotic, too, so you could call it over," said co-creator Will Andrew. One thing's for sure: they'd certainly improve gameday lounging.
The hoverboard has arrived (video)
Let's just hope some Chinese company thinks it's real and "copies" it to make one that actually works.
86,000 square miles of Great Britain meticulously recreated in Minecraft
There are those with free time, and then there's Joseph Braybrook. This fine bloke managed to recreate some 86,000 square miles of Great Britain within the Minecraft universe, and moreover, it took but a fortnight to concoct. Further justifying his work as more than goofing off, he used Ordnance Survey terrain data in the world's construction, leading Graham Dunlop, OS Innovation Lab Manager, to proclaim the following: "We think we may have created the largest Minecraft world ever built based on real-world data." The new universe contains over 22 billion Minecraft blocks, and once players have downloaded the 3.6GB file, they're free to build at will. Just don't go planting any US flags -- that's just downright rude.
Every Goosebumps episode ever is now streaming on Netflix
Now you know you're subscribing to that ish.
Mars Explorer Barbie: yeah, Ken's over the moon for this one
Technologically inclined Barbie's aren't exactly new, but a Mars Explorer Barbie? Yeah, that's worth mentioning. In cooperation with NASA, the "Career of the Year Mars Explorer Barbie" is being "launched"... presumably right into Ken's ever-loving heart. We're told that she's ready to "add her signature pink splash to the red planet," and should be hitting Earthly shelves now for $12.99. The best part? Curiosity won't have to sing a birthday song alone ever again.
Blake Patterson's Byte Cellar: the ultimate man cave for aspiring geeks
Apple IIGS? Of course. Commodore 64C? You betcha. NeXTstation Turbo Color? Booyah! These three classics are just part of Blake Patterson's tricked-out technology den that's known as the Byte Cellar -- and yes, we're seething with jealousy. Take notes, folks, because this is how it's done. In all, the Byte Cellar currently plays home to 69 computers, video game consoles, PDA's and other noteworthy gadgets. Need to switch between the Atari and the Amiga? Not a problem, as each system is thoughtfully laid out on a workbench that allows one to easily scoot between rigs. Even the walls bleed vintage cred with a Space Invaders motif, rare posters and hardware components from bygone eras. Be sure to take it all in with a panorama photo that's been linked up below, along with a complete list of the equipment currently in Blake's collection. Regardless of whether you agree with his taste in hardware, one thing is for certain: the man must go through a lot of compressed air.
Planetside 2 beta delayed to end of the week to add more 'awesome'
The Planetside 2 beta was originally, enthusiastically planned to begin today or tomorrow, but has now been pushed to "Friday or Monday," SOE president John Smedley tweets. On Thursday Smedley said the beta would launch early this week "barring any unforeseen circumstances."Such circumstances must have included not having enough awesome, since today Smedley notes the delay is because "we have some stuff we need to make sure is awesome," and the team needs to polish and test a few things before a "massive" number of people attempt to play. We're not sure what scale SOE measures the awesomeness of its games by, but it looks like Planetside 2 is aiming for very.
EVE Evolved: Five awesome carrier tactics
The world of EVE Online's capital warfare is most often a numbers game. Alliances commit forces to a fight knowing that victory is almost assured if they have significantly more ships than the enemy. But not all capital pilots and corporations are created equal; some can pull off incredible tactical plays that act as force multipliers, increasing the effectiveness of every man on the battlefield. Rooks and Kings alliance has a long history of fighting above its weight by employing highly effective cooperative strategies, so it's no surprise that four out of my five top capital tactics come from the alliance's awesome PvP videos. I think it's safe to say that if Rooks and Kings brings fewer capital ships than you to a fight, you're still vastly outnumbered. In this week's EVE Evolved, I showcase videos of five awesome carrier tactics, each with a video of the tactic in action.
Google Doodle celebrates Gideon Sundback, unzips knowledge about your favorite wearables
We've covered no shortage of wearable gizmos over the years here at Engadget -- in fact, we've given 'em their own category -- but we most certainly haven't spent enough time praising one of the pioneers of the segment. Thanks to a highly pleasing Google Doodle, we're given the perfect chance to take a harder look at one Gideon Sundback, the electrical engineer responsible for developing the zipper. It's been called a "fly," prominently featured in an Outkast song and positively shunned on the Snuggie, and it's also a huge, huge part of worldwide culture. For those looking to learn more about the man, the myth and the mystery, head on down to the Wikipedia link below; if you just want to unzip your browser, well... click here.
This talking Domino's Pizza scooter will make your day infinitely more awesome (video)
Dearest RIM, Microsoft, Intel and Sony: Stop spending millions on mildly successful advertising campaigns. Just modify a delivery scooter to shout your brand name between gear shifts. Respectfully, A now-loyal Domino's Pizza customer.
Canonical's AWSOME API bridges OpenStack and Amazon clouds, Ubuntu has its head in both
New features and services that improve Canonical's latest version of Ubuntu seem to keep rolling in. The latest addition being the announcement of its AWSOME proxy service. No, that's not us getting over excited about it, that stands for Any Web Service Over Me, and it includes APIs that smooth the transition to OpenStack for those currently using Amazon's cloud services. Although not open source, Amazon's Web Service has such a large market share, that Canonical clearly wants to make integrating with it as smooth as possible. The AWSOME proxy will only provide basic functionality for the AWS side of things, with users still encouraged to adopt the OpenStack infrastructure for deeper capabilities. Still, if you're currently working with Bezos' platform, and this was the last barrier to hopping aboard the Precise Pangolin ship, you're in luck.
Cogoo's Turntable Rider puts the 'mix' in BMX, 'awesome' in these videos
What if a company built a mixer for your BMX bike? What if said mixer could wirelessly control the music you're grooving to while riding? What if we had two videos to prove that such luxuries do, in fact, exist? Japan's own Cogoo has gone well above the call of duty with its latest concoction, the Turntable Rider. Put simply (or as simply as possible), it's a multi-part system that enables a bike to become a DJing machine; the more complex the tricks, the 'better' the mix. Reportedly, the bike's own wheels act as jog wheels, the brakes act as a beat pad and there's even a gyroscopic sensor that doubles as a fader pad. No word on a set price or ship date, but it'll be making the rounds at events starting with the 2012 Kaikoo Popwave Festival. Enough chatter -- head on past the break and mash play a couple of times. Go ahead and prepare those around you to cease working and do the same.
The Daily Grind: Do you want realism or awesome?
I realize that any discussion of realism in MMOs can quickly devolve into absurdity, but bear with me. I was recently involved in a discussion between some guildies of mine who were extolling the virtues of Tribes: Ascend over more realistic FPS games. "It's the jetpacks," they told me. In a realism-driven FPS, there's an emphasis on physics and gravity, but in Tribes, it's all about the jetpacks and learning how to fight effectively while using one. The fun of a game like that is in how awesome it is to break realism, not in how true-to-life it might be. Pure MMOs are no different. Many games make compromises along the spectrum of reality, especially when it comes to travel: In some games, we're grounded, forced to use a horse or our own two feet to make our way across the world; in others, we teleport via magical contraptions or leap tall buildings in a single bound. So riddle me this: When it boils down to it, what do you prefer to be the guiding principle of your MMOs -- realism or awesome? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Arduino-powered Artbot writes the time, erases it, writes again (video)
Watching the seconds go by is a frightening reminder that time pauses for no one, but somehow, a hacker going by the name of Ekaggrat has figured out how to make the process a bit less daunting. The so-called Doodle Clock is an Arduino-powered robotic arm that's been trained to jot down the time with a dry erase marker; once the minute passes, he erases the last digit and rewrites it -- a number beyond what he just erased, of course. Per usual, these things are better seen than read about, so why not hop on past the break and mash play? Smiles await.
Worlds collide as Super Mario Bros and Portal become Mari0 (video)
Remember when the amalgamation of Super Mario Bros and a Portal gun seemed like the most amazing, yet impossibly lucid pipe dream? As it turns out, the cake named "Mari0" by developer-house Stabyourself actually wasn't a lie. But lest you thought this just a redo of Super Mario Bros with a skosh of Aperture science thrown in, you'd be oh-so-wrong. How's about four-player co-op, in addition to a level editor and a bevy of hilarious modes that'll put a new twist on an old favorite. And could it get any better than available for the sweet sweet price of free? If that's not a ringing endorsement, we don't know what is. If you're still reading this, we're unsure why you're still here -- get your game on at the source link below.
New Year reveler crafts Kanye-approved EL Wire glasses: light up as the bass pounds (video)
The bar-laden spectacles that Kanye West popularized have just been reborn, and dare we say, they're harder, better, faster and stronger. YouTube user ch00ftech decided to borrow a few good great ideas while adding in a few twists of his own, resulting in the creation of EL Wire Kanye glasses that actually light up when the beat pulses. There's a deep, deep dive into the technicalities down in the source link, but for the 99 percenters in attendance, the video just below says it all.
PokeAwesome presents the ugly side of monster training
Animator "Egoraptor" chooses the Pokemon series as the next target of ridicule and, like his previous offerings, it's rude and weird. It's not safe for work and aptly titled -- err, I mean, Venusaur with a question mark.
'Aaaaa!!! for the Awesome' dropped on PC, Mac
Dejobaan Games and Owlchemy Labs have launched a "semi-sequel" to AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!-- A Reckless Disregard for Gravity, entitled AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! for the Awesome -- or just "Awesome" for short. With the original game's code rebuilt from the ground up, the follow-up adds a "new lighting system and fancy shader effects," along with 43 new levels and the 82 levels from the original game. It's available on Steam for $9.99. Officially, the game has only been announced for PC and Mac, but since Dejobaan teamed up with Owlchemy Labs on the project, the studio that created Snuggle Truck, an iOS version might drop in at some point.
The Electree: finally, a bonsai tree that uses solar power to charge your gadgets
So you're tres green chic with your solar-charging jacket, and that Ralph Lauren backpack keeps your gadgets energized even off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. But what about stylish photovoltaics for your home, dear earth-friendly aesthete? We humbly submit the Electree, by French designer Vivian Muller. Shaped like a bonsai tree, each of its 27 leaves is a solar panel that helps charge a 13,500mAh battery. A concealed USB connector and A/C outlet will feed your gadgets while minimizing unsightly wires, and rotatable branches let you customize the look. Muller's looking for 400 presales to make the Electree a reality: for early birds, the price is €269 (about $370). If this sounds like the sort of thing you'd put on your windowsill, hit the source link to commence with the purchasing.
Jack Eisenmann's DUO Adept: a homebrew 8-bit computer built by a high-schooler (video)
We've seen some impressive case mods and some wildly inventive DIY projects, but rarely have we seen a homemade, 8-bit computer housed in what looks like a Tupperware container. Meet the DUO Adept: a project begun last summer by programmer, hardware hacker, and recent high-school graduate Jack Eisenmann. Lovingly crafted from a television, an old keyboard, 100 chips (not a single one more), and lots of wire, the system has 64K of memory and outputs a 240 × 208 black and white image. Eisenmann designed his own operating system and even wrote several games, including the Donkey Kong-esque "Get Muffin." Hit the source link for a gallery (including circuit diagrams!) and see the video below for a demonstration, complete with 8-bit era music.
