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The next wave of Moto Mods turn your phone into a gamepad
Motorola is teaming up with Amazon for an Alexa smartphone mod, but that's just one of a several new hardware add-ons set to become available for compatible Moto phones. The next wave includes a Moto-made battery extender (rather than the third-party options that are already on sale); a new charging adapter that connects to mods, allowing charge them separately from the phone; and a wireless charging back for even more juice options. Finally, there's a gamepad that packs in four speakers, lights and some preloaded games. Even more intriguing, however, were the concept accessories also on display at MWC this weekend.
NASA is funding asteroid spaceships and other far-out concepts
NASA's annual National Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program awards money to some of the craziest space projects you'll ever see, and this year is no different. The space agency has just announced the 13 concepts that made it through Phase I, and one of the most interesting entries plans to transform whole asteroids into spaceships. It's called Reconstituting Asteroids into Mechanical Automata or Project RAMA. The concept is the brainchild of Jason Dunn, co-founder of Made In Space, which developed the 3D printer that's aboard the ISS.
Toyota's concept car duo couldn't be more different
One car; fashioned from chrome alloy, exposed suspension and steampunk dreams. Another? See-thru turquoise-hued glass, white spiderweb frameworks, and a hydrogen-powered heart. Toyota's concept cars take very different creative routes with the humble automobile. The more rustic "Kikai" is an attempt to draw out the literal inner beauty of cars, showcasing mechanical parts that aren't usually seen. Tires and suspension take pride of place, while a tiny window in the floor the carriage lets passengers see what's going on underneath the car. Then there's the FCV Plus...
Color-changing condoms could tell which VD you just got
A group of teenage inventors have struck upon a clever (albeit still very conceptual) way to alert folks to the presence of various venereal diseases before the burning starts: fluorescing condoms that light up when they encounter dangerous bacteria or virii. The team from Isaac Newton Academy in Illford, England developed the "glowing condom" concept, dubbed S.T.Y.E, as part of this year's TeenTech awards. It would reportedly operate as a normal condom does but also incorporate a sheath of molecules that attach to the diseases and set off a fluorescent reaction. The added layer would literally glow different colors when in contact with various STDs -- green for chlamydia, yellow for herpes, purple for HPV and blue for syphilis.
Crowfall details starting, finishing, and resetting by Hunger
The latest development blog from Crowfall establishes a problem. The nature of any sort of permanent game is to fall into stagnation. Eventually, the most powerful players control everything and there's no room for new people to come in. You want room for new people to come in. But you also want to have long-term effects to what takes place in the game rather than just resetting everything as the game approaches a static state. What's to be done? According to the aforementioned development blog, you reset... but by pieces. At the center of Crowfall's design lies a cycle of birth, corruption, and demise. Characters remain, but as they participate in individual campaigns of the game there's space for players to make a lasting impact on the game world. But the continual destruction of each campaign as certain players "win" ensures that there's always space for something new to happen, that no one ever becomes unassailable in every sense. Take a look at the full post for a clearer picture of how the game intends to keep players engaged by periodically wiping the board clear of pieces.
Revival talks about death, decoration, and defenses
You remember Revival, right? You know, the game funding its development by selling in-game houses? That one. The developers haven't been quiet over the holiday season, with several recent blog posts detailing the high-end concepts behind several of the game's key mechanics -- for example, dying, which doesn't simply leave you to run back to your corpse but forces you to traverse the spirit realm, fighting off malicious spirits and seeking the Mortality Gate to drag yourself back from the dead. Of course, you can stay alive longer by making use of combat mechanics like the shield wall to defend yourself from dying. You can also use your continued "being alive" status to take advantage of the decoration kits available for housing, which allow you to convert existing rooms with certain fixtures to more functional equivalents. It's all interesting stuff and worth considering if you're sorely tempted to drop a bunch of money on the promise of virtual real estate.
Begun, the iPhone 7 renders have
The iPhone 6 Plus is just finally getting settled into my pocket -- my front pocket, not my back pocket because I'm not 13 years old and I take care of my devices like an adult so they don't bend -- but there are already some that are looking forward to the iPhone 7. One of those people is Jimmy Benson, who has whipped up these fantastic iPhone 7 renders that show a sharper body style and a reimagined home button. Other tweaks from the existing iPhone 6 models include an edge-to-edge display, a completely solid back panel, and five app columns instead of the current four. It's a pretty slick looking device, but we all know by the time the iPhone 7 launches we'll be able to embed our smartphones into our brains anyway, so it doesn't really matter. [Photo credit: Jimmy Benson]
UemeU shows off concept video and screenshots
If you want to roll your own game these days, you're certainly not lacking in tools to do so. UemeU is another game aimed at giving players the ability to do whatever they want, whether they'd like to build a huge, sprawling online game or just a nice house to settle down and call your own. The official reveal trailer past the break explains the goals of developer Omnigon Games in detail: The game is meant as a sandbox allowing players to create their own servers, structures, rules, and settings as they desire. Lead developer Jeremy Hindle explains that the game will allow players to both create and play, with creation governed by a simple set of basic shapes that can be combined as players wish. Players will be able to create and modify abilities, change the rules for servers, and create a robust series of interactions via the use of action triggers. Check out the full video just past the cut if this sounds right up your alley. [Souce: Omnigon Games press release]
Do you want widgets in iOS?
Of all the differences between iOS and its competitors, the lack of widget functionality on Apple's mobile OS is one of the decisions that often polarizes user opinions. If widgets were to be introduced to the iPhone and iPad, it's of course unclear how it would potentially look, but Jay Machalani has whipped up some pretty striking concepts of the idea. He calls his fictional iOS widgets the iOS "Block" and has created a video showcasing how the feature would look in action. You can read all about his idea on his website, but an important question remains: do you even want widgets on your iDevice? From weather and reminders to iMessage and music, there's a lot of potential to turn your iOS home screen into a living, breathing command center, but -- and this is a big "but" -- iOS has thrived without it for a long, long time. So I put the question to you, if Apple were to embrace an idea like this, would you welcome it with open arms, or pretend it doesn't exist? %Poll-88332%
Forget the iPhone 6, I want an iPhone G3
It seems like everyone is making concept art of the unannounced iPhone 6 these days, and they all end up looking pretty much the same. Designer Mike Donovan doesn't seem too interested in that, and he's focused his talents on bringing non-existent iPhones of the past to life. Have you ever wondered what the iPhone would have looked like if it launched during the G3 era? What about during the age of monochrome screens? Now we know, and they look glorious.
Do you really want a thinner iPhone?
The iPhone has always been relatively thin; The thickest any iPhone has ever gotten was the 12.3 mm heft of the iPhone 3G/3Gs. The iPhone 5 is of course much thinner than that, measuring just 7.6 mm in depth. Apple has kind of made it their "thing" to produce new versions of its mobile devices that are somehow leaner than ever before -- the iPad Air, for instance, is now a puny 7.4 mm. But what's next? Will the inevitable iPhone 6 (or Air or whatever they call it) shave even more away? Do we want that? It seems like every new iPhone 6 concept that hits the web shows a device that is more scrawny than ever. Take a look. [Concept by iPhoneSoft] [Concept by Ciccarese Design] [Concept by Arthur Reis] There's no denying that these mockups are appealing, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with my phone getting much more delicate than it already is. We'd like to hear your thoughts, so vote in the poll and feel free to sound off in the comments, and let us know just how thin you're willing to go. %Poll-87298%
The best (and worst) iWatch concepts
Apple might possibly launch a wrist-wearable smart device this year that could maybe be fitness and health focused, but that's about as much as anyone cares to guess at this point. The almost complete lack of verifiable information regarding the device -- which has been unanimously tagged the "iWatch" -- means that talent concept artists have had an absolute field day with the idea, creating gadgets that range from mild to mind-blowing. Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly iWatch concepts that the web has come up with so far. Designer: ADR Studio Verdict: It's one of the more modest iWatch concepts and definitely has the "iPhone shrunk for your wrist" feel to it. I wouldn't be against a smartwatch like this, though I have a feeling battery life would be abysmal. Designer: Esben Oxholm Verdict: It's definitely got the Apple look. It's sleek, simple, and sexy without being flashy. The curved glass seems like a cracked screen just waiting to happen, and the rigid design will limit its mass appeal, but it would have plenty of fans, too. Designer: Anders Kjellberg Verdict: This one looks like it could appear on a store shelf tomorrow, but it also feels a bit like something you'd see with a Casio logo. The concept features a FaceTime camera and access to apps like Maps, but it really doesn't look like an Apple product. Designer: Pavel Simeonov Verdict: I could definitely see Apple going with the long-screen route, which makes this concept feel pretty solid. The in-band camera seems like wishful thinking, as does the edge-to-edge display, but if the mythical iWatch went with a design like this, it would definitely shake things up. Designer: Federico Ciccarese Verdict: This one is a bit pie-in-the-sky, given its massive screen and what is essentially a full iPhone feature set, but there's no denying that it's gorgeous. It seems like it would get scratched up pretty quickly, but that's the price you pay to wear a smartphone on your wrist. Designer: Nickolay Lamm Verdict: Now this is an interesting idea. As Lamm states on his site, he used ideas from Apple's own patent for "spiral navigation" for the UI, and it's certainly unlike anything that currently exists. A circular screen is a risky proposition, and might turn some people off, but it's certainly unique. Designer: Federico Ciccarese Verdict: Wow! Originally designed as an iPhone 5 concept, this one looks like a cross between an iPhone and one of those face-huggers from the Aliens movie franchise, but it's certainly got a futuristic appeal to it. It doesn't look particularly comfortable, but having an iPhone attached to your wrist at all times might make up for that. [Header Image Credit: Federico Ciccarese]
The Daily Grind: How patient are you with explanations?
I run a lot of random dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV. It's not uncommon to wind up grouped with someone who hasn't seen one of the newer dungeons, or even someone who just happened to forget the mechanics in a lower-level fight. That's fine, and I have no problem explaining the fight in detail to people. What gets my goat is trying to re-explain as someone either ignores the directions or does exactly the opposite time and again. Some people are far more patient than I am. I've watched players explain the same mechanics a dozen times without ever showing signs of irritation. And of course, there are people far less patient than I -- people who explain the fight only once in mangled shorthand or even outright refuse to explain anything. So what about you, dear reader? How patient are you with explanations about fights, areas, mechanics, or anything else in your game of choice? 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!
These Ray-Ban solar shades can charge your iPhone 5
If you're outside on a sunny day, there's a good chance that you're both wearing sunglasses and you're nowhere near your iPhone charger. Design student Sayalee Kaluskar has combined these two common occurrences into a product capable of shielding your eyes from the sun and charging your iPhone as well. She calls them Shama Shades, but in truth they're a pair of modified Ray-Ban sunglasses that have been fitted with a solar panel, a built-in battery and an iPhone 5 charging plug. The glasses perform their traditional duty while you're catching some rays, and the solar panel fills the small battery hidden within. When the sun sets, you can remove one of the arms of the shades and plug it into your iPhone for an extra shot of energy. As the glasses were made for a school project, there's little chance you'll get the opportunity to buy them any time soon, but an idea this good seems like it deserves to find its way to retail sooner or later.
Timesplitters Rewind takes a second for Steam Greenlight Concepts
The fans developing Timesplitters Rewind are hoping for a launch on Steam Greenlight, probably to match the game's potential release on PS4. Timesplitters Rewind has a page on Greenlight's Concepts section, where developers can get feedback and cultivate a community prior to a full campaign on Greenlight. Timesplitters Rewind is a fan-made HD remix of all three Timesplitters games – 1, 2 and Future Perfect – with the blessing of the series' IP holder, Crytek. The team behind Rewind cautions that there are unofficial groups for Timesplitters Rewind on Steam and that the only official account can be found here. "We are perfectly comfortable with fan communities," Project Manager Michael Hubicka writes. As a group of fans remastering a game that doesn't belong to them, we figured they'd be cool with fan communities on Steam, but that's nice to know for sure.
Red 5's Mark Kern discusses wasted space in MMO development
A recent article by Mark Kern of Red 5 Studios is all about the idea that most of an MMO is wasted space. Not travel space that doesn't need to be there; no, Kern is talking about the huge amount of low-level content that gets played and discarded at a dizzying pace as players move past it. According to Kern, anywhere between 80-90% of the content in a given MMO is both expensive to craft and more or less irrelevant to the game after six months. Kern stresses that the primary problem is that the cost of developing an MMO is raising while the time spent on content doesn't change, resulting in a neverending rush to produce more high-level content at a rate that's simply not realistic. He advocates more dynamic content, more scaling, and more flexibility in progression to help make development costs feel less like money flung into a pit for low-level content. If you're interested in the industry as a whole, it's worth a read. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Tumblr site imagines popular apps after redesigns for iOS7
Before WWDC, it was fun to imagine what changes iOS 7 had in store for us. That cat is now out of the bag, which leaves us wondering about our favorite apps and how they will look when they get a first coat of iOS 7 paint. For a sneak peek, check out this Tumblr blog that has mockups of several popular apps with an iOS 7-inspired design. Keep in mind that these are concepts and not official product designs. The final versions of these apps may be radically different from what is posted there. Let's hope not, though, as some of these mockups are pretty good. Check out these iOS 7 redesigns and let us know what you think in the comments.
The Daily Grind: What things should MMOs explain to new players?
Games do not like to explain the concept of roles to players. This is not to say that they don't expect players to take those roles, most frequently the standard trinity setup; rather, those roles are never explained in depth. There's no tutorial in Star Wars: The Old Republic explaining what a tank is or how you will want to play one. In a game like Guild Wars 2, which has a radically different role structure from every other game, you'd expect more explanation, but it offers even less. This is a smaller part of a larger problem: Many MMOs are built with the assumption that the players are familiar with certain core conventions. So you get tutorials on movement but not on roles or character builds or group behavior or anything that you might need if you've never played an MMO before in your life. What do you think MMOs in general should explain to new players? What areas are lacking in resources for anyone getting into a game cold? 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!
Steam Greenlight 'Concepts': Post your game without the $100 fee
"Concepts," a new section on Steam Greenlight, allows developers to post their games without paying the $100 fee normally required – the catch? Games can't be Greenlit through Concepts. Concepts is a hub for developers to gauge interest in their games and build a community, even if the developer doesn't have the resources to take its chances on Greenlight."This section is intended for items looking to gather feedback from the potential customers and begin building a community," the Concepts description reads. "If you like projects here, feel free to rate them, favorite them, and leave feedback for the developer. The voting here serves only to give the developer data and reactions and doesn't work toward getting the game distributed on Steam."Concepts offers a compromise between the completely open system that Greenlight launched with (and quickly amended), and the $100 fee now required for hosting a game on Greenlight. It allows developers to see if their games have a chance, to generate a following and resources, before taking them to Greenlight or elsewhere.Concepts joins the "Software" tab recently added to Greenlight. As of publishing, there are only 15 games on Concepts, so if you have a potential indie hit, maybe get it up there now, while the getting's good.
CEATEC 2012 wrap-up: concept cars, eye-tracking tech and motion sensors galore
CEATEC, Japan's largest annual electronics show, is winding down here on the outskirts of Tokyo. We've spent the past two days scouring the halls of the Makuhari Messe, digging up no shortage of concept cars, eye-tracking technologies and even the odd Windows 8 device. The star of the show may have been Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo, with its gaze-controlled prototypes and real-time translation app, but there were plenty of other gadgets on hand to peak our interest -- even if many of them won't make it to market anytime soon. Have a look for yourself by browsing our complete CEATEC 2012 coverage past the break.
