Explorer
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Ford unveils an electric Explorer crossover built for Europe's narrow streets
Ford has unveiled an electric version of the Explorer, but it's only headed to Europe.
Ford snags 100,000 F-150 Lightning pre-orders in three weeks
There are 100,000 pre-orders waiting for Ford's electric F-150, and the company's CEO says an electric Explorer is next up.
This 'O-29' hum is the sound of Ford's new hybrid SUVs
Add Ford to the ranks of automakers adding sounds to notify pedestrians of oncoming electrified cars. The 2020 Escape Hybrid and Explorer Hybrid will both include a custom sound, O-29 (listen to it below) that plays when they're moving at speeds up to 19MPH. We wouldn't quite call it "melodious" like Ford does, but it's designed to be at once identifiable as a car sound yet gentle on the ears. The humming both modulates and changes frequencies to match speed, giving you enough cues to react without completely eliminating the usual hybrid quietness.
Ford's 2020 Explorer Hybrid adds range without losing storage capacity
While Ford already revealed its redesigned Explorer SUV, today at the Detroit Auto Show we're learning more about the new Hybrid version. Ford claims that this year it's introducing a whole slew of hybrid vehicles that combine performance and extended range via their efficiency, and this one is just the first. While we don't have all the details on its powertrain yet, the 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid has a 3.3-liter V6 that's part of a hybrid system producing 318 HP (no word on torque -- yet), while pulling more than 500 miles of range from its 19.3 gallon gas tank. Beyond making life a little greener for SUV owners, Explorer chief engineer Bill Gubing points out that "Reduced cargo space in hybrids is a thing of the past for Ford customers." Unlike other Ford hybrid vehicles that sacrificed space for big, awkwardly-placed battery packs, this one slides its specially designed liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery into the chassis beneath the second row seats so owners don't have to give up legroom or cargo space. At 4,969 pounds it's even lighter than the 400 HP ST version Ford is also showing off today. Still, we'll want to see its storage capabilities for ourselves -- as well as the optional 10.1-inch vertically-oriented touchscreen -- and hear more about how much it tows before hooking up the boat and taking a trip up north. Update: Ford mentioned it's capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds, and the model I saw here on the show floor looked like any other SUV with three rows of seating. The battery pack is tucked somewhere under that second row and while you won't be shoving anything under those seats, there's nothing awkwardly poking out to block other parts of the cabin.
Lenovo's mixed reality headset offers built-in tracking for $350
Windows Mixed Reality headsets are coming out of the woodwork at IFA, and now it's Lenovo's turn to add to the introductions. It's launching the Explorer, and the headgear will sound very familiar if you've seen other models -- not that this is necessarily a bad thing. Thanks to the dual cameras, you get VR motion tracking in a reasonably large (11.5 feet by 11.5 feet) space without external sensors or a complicated setup. Likewise, there are optional motion controllers (below) for titles that need more immersive control.
All-in-one camera ball scouts dangerous locations
Imagine how much easier it would be if first responders could search inside collapsed buildings, or if police could scope out a suspect's room for danger before breaking in. That's the driving force behind the Explorer, a tactical ball equipped with cameras, LED lights and sensors designed to do exactly that. The idea here is that you could simply roll the ball into a room and the six built-in cameras would snap a slew of photos. The software then quickly and intelligently stitches them together in a panorama and, thanks to a built-in wireless hotspot, transmits the image back to your phone, potentially warning you of trapped survivors or dangerous gunmen.
Google sells Glass at a golf tournament, turns players into Explorers (updated)
Google Glass may not be permanently available for sale to the general public, but Mountain View recently promised to find new ways to expand the Explorer program. The pricey gadget's first stop? The Player's Championship in Florida, a golf tournament where many participants can easily afford the device's $1,500 price tag. Despite the prime location, Google still bundled the eyewear with a free mini-camera that clamps onto a golf club to sweeten the deal. Sounds like the company's plan worked quite well: according to Twitter user Richard Ranick, a sales associate claimed sales were much better than expected. Since Google has vowed to make Explorers not just out of sports lovers, but also out of optometrists, cooks and travelers, we might see more Glass booths (after the break) at various events in the future. [Image credit: Google Glass/Twitter] Update (05/13/14): According to Paul Goldstein (creator of the GolfSight app you see on the Glass interface above), Google was actually handing out Swingbyte devices as freebies instead of mini cameras.
First UK Google Glass trial gives Parkinson's sufferers more independence
Before Glass becomes a publicly available product, Google's quietly embarked on a campaign to get its iconic eyewear into the hands of those who can use it to tackle complex issues. After it gifted five pairs to researchers at Newcastle University, Google's allowed its wearable to undergo its first UK medical trial, where it's being used to support people suffering from Parkinson's disease. Researchers want to help patients live more independently, and they're already seeing results.
Tamriel Infinium: A hitchhiker's guide to The Elder Scrolls Online
I believe we can all agree that The Elder Scrolls Online is not a sandbox in the MMORPG sense. However, the game starts to branch out as your level increases. Although it will never be an MMO sandbox, it does start to resemble the single-player sandbox, except there are tons of other people playing at the same time. Just like those single-player sandboxes, ESO allows us to do pretty much whatever we want when we want to. It's an explorer's dream, if you ask me. Of course, we might be able to find some of those explorable items on the in-game map, but many of them remain hidden until we just land on them. Today, I'd like to talk about a few of the items that I think every ESO explorer should be aware of.
Hyperspace Beacon: The rest of SWTOR's year-end report
The end of the year is nigh, and as I promised, I will give you my final thoughts on Star Wars: The Old Republic and its achievements for 2013. I wanted my assessment to be based on something other than squishy feelings. Of course, opinions are extremely subjective, but that doesn't mean they cannot be based on something a bit more substantial. In July, I created a mid-term report card for SWTOR using Dr. Richard Battle's studies as the starting point. Bartle's study allowed me to step out of my normal playstyle and observe the game from the standpoint of different types of MMO players. Some players find discovery and exploration to be the most important part of an MMO. Others want to achieve the highest scores or defeat the biggest bosses. Some want to prove that they are better than other players in direct combat, and yet other players want to use the game as an interactive chatroom or work with a group to achieve a goal. Few people fall neatly into one category or other, but nearly everyone will have a dominant motivation. A couple of weeks ago, I graded the game based on the perspective of Bartle's Killer type, giving SWTOR a C- in the category. Because of Galactic Starfighter and 4v4 arenas, I raised the grade from the F I gave it during the mid-term report. I gave the game an A- for Achievers, B for Explorers, and C for the Socializer earlier this year. Has SWTOR been able to raise its grade in these other categories?
Google patent hints at Glass: Hipster Edition
So, while Google Glass: Explorer and Prescription editions are designed to sit on the right side of your head, wouldn't it be great if the wearable was, you know, built into an actual pair of glasses? That's the thinking behind Mountain View's latest patent, which incorporates the device into a thick pair of specs. Compared to the current versions, this concept (pictured, after the break) splits the camera and display modules across the frame. Presumably, therefore, wiring would run inside the frame and across the nose bridge -- and we'd hope that the greater real estate would also accommodate a bigger battery. While this particular design may never get further than a pile of paper on Sergey Brin's desk, the near-sighted futurists among us can always hope.
Google tells some Glass Explorers to invite a friend
Mountain View's kept itself as the gatekeeper for Google Glass with dev signups at I/O and a social media contest, but now it's letting some users spread the wearable computing love. Google+ is lighting up with reports that Glass Explorers are receiving emails from Page and Co. allowing them to invite a friend to snag a device by joining the program. In order to be eligible, invitees must be a US resident, at least 18 years of age, and willing to pick up the hardware in San Francisco, New York or Los Angeles. Google's told us that a "small subset of Explorers" have received the message in its continuing effort to expand the affair. Earlier today, the search giant announced that it cast a wider net for Explorers by enlisting five film schools to suss out how the contraption can be used for everything from character development to production. Head past the break for the full list of institutions.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR mid-term report card
It's history lesson time. In 1996, Dr. Richard Bartle, who earned his PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Essex, wrote a paper analyzing the different types of gamers who play massively multiplayer games. At the time, these games mostly consisted of MUDs (a genre Bartle helped create), but there were certainly enough data from Bartle's study that could be ported over to MMORPGs, which is exactly what Erwin Andreasen and Brandon Downey did in 1999 and 2000 when they created the Bartle Test. Since then, the Bartle Test, which breaks up online gamers into four general categories (achiever, explorer, killer, and socializer), has been used as a standard in discovering which online games players would enjoy most. Why bring this up? Well, we are about six months into the second year of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The first year was fraught with high expectations and slow delivery. Many failed attempts at greatness made the first year of SWTOR a bit of a downer. However, in this second year, in light of the ever-changing market of MMORPGs, the Star Wars MMO took steps to put itself on a better path. Using the Bartle Test as my litmus test, I will break down and grade this year's performance so far.
Google Glass update teardown reveals clues of a 'Boutique' app market
A user named Zhouwei has taken a thorough look at the latest Google Glass Explorer XE7 version and found a few gems, including a possible app store called the Boutique. That would make sense given that there's no central repository for apps right now, and the code indicates that Glassware and APKs could be synced to the hardware via such a market. Other changes of note are a lock-screen that would work by swiping a lock pattern (there's currently only an unofficial app for that) and some kind of video player, though there's no info on how the latter might work. We're not sure how much of this code will actually be enabled when it hits our own device, but an app store and some proper built-in security would be nice.
The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar forges a path
The latest news out of WildStar's new previews isn't going to quiet people who dislike the concept of the game's path system, nor will it stanch the flow of complaints about the game's art style. Those of us simply waiting at attention, however, found ourselves rewarded this week with a wealth of new information, not to mention the best look we've yet seen at how the paths will work together in action instead of concept. And that's only the tip of the iceberg; Jeremy Gaffney has said so many things that merit unpacking that it's almost impossible to swallow some of the implications. There is, in fact, far too much to unpack in a single week. So I'm going to look at paths and start figuring out everything else next week. I may also gush about the Mechari at some point. It's like GLaDOS, Hal, and Starscream had a kid.
Google to begin inviting non-developers to become Glass Explorers
By now, all the developers who signed up to receive Glass prototypes should have the headgear in hand, so Google's ready to move on to the next phase. Over the next few weeks, the company will begin sending invitations to successful #ifihadglass applicants. Invites will come via Google+, so you'll need to have +Project Glass in your Circles in order to jump to the next step. Unfortunately, the Explorer program is closed, so it's a bit too late to submit an application now. Google's promised to keep you in the loop regarding future opportunities, though. Simply add your info at the source link below to sign up for updates.
Caption contest: Google Glass explorer takes virtual vision to a whole new level
What's better than a single pair of Glass Explorer Editions, you say? How about five? Well, that's exactly what Mr. Adib Towfiq has done, mounting a few of these bizarre frames to his head and, luckily for us, he took to Mountain View's social network to share it with the world. Now, he asks, "Am I doing it right?" If anything, we'd say this is certainly a step in the right direction. Edgar: "You stay Glassy, San Diego" Billy: "What? I'm just multi-tasking!" Brad: "This is the best way to solve the battery life problem." Ben Gilbert: "Adib Towfiq is ... THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN." Jamie: "Google Glass... Baller Edition" Tim: "Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Okay, Glass. Take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture. Take a picture." Richard Lai: "I'm four times cooler than Tim Stevens." Jon Fingas: "Augment all the realities!" Andy: "Am I the man? Yes. Can I walk a straight line? Maybe." Darren: "Goooooooooogle Glass" Terrence: "So I says to myself, 'I can completely pay off my student loans or buy five Google Glass headsets.' I have no regrets." Mark: " I see dead people!" Myriam: "Google glass, now with 10 cores."
Google Glass Explorer Editions rolling off the production line, will be delivered in waves
Google just shot out an email to folks who signed up for its Glass Explorers program at I/O last year, and it's spreading word that Glass units have begun to roll off the production line for participants. The roughly 2,000 devs who pre-ordered the spectacles won't be getting them all at once, however, as Page and Co. say they'll be delivered in waves. Mountain View notes it could have waited for every unit to be ready, but decided to send them out as they're made to speed things up. Presumably, winners of the #ifihadglass contest are in line to receive theirs after those who attended the developer powwow, and they'll have to travel to Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco to pick them up. Hit the break to live vicariously through the search titan's guinea pigs adventurers by reading the email in its entirety.
Free for All: My five favorite MMOs for exploration
There's nothing more important to me than the ability to freely explore MMOs. Heck, exploration is the reason I got into MMOs. I remember grabbing that box of Ultima Online (man, I wish I still had that box!) from a shelf at the local game store and looking in wonder at just how vast this virtual world seemed to be. I'm still the same way, although after years of doing this, I am a bit more cynical about games. I've heard so many promises that never came true, but I know that even the worst of titles offers the chance to explore a brand-new world. There are a lot of exploration mechanics out there. Free Realms has an adventurer "job," The Secret World needs players to explore to solve mysteries, Guild Wars 2 offers experience based on discovering new areas, EverQuest II entices people to explore by offering collectible items embedded in the ground, and there are so many MMOs that allow players to gain experience just by approaching areas they haven't before. But I have my favorites. These are games that just make me feel like an explorer.
The Nexus Telegraph: Walking the WildStar path
If you look at the path system in WildStar the right way, it's a pretty limiting system. After all, if path content makes up 25% of your content in any given zone, it stands to reason that there are three paths worth of content you'll never see on any given character. Any zone in the game is made up of 43% stuff you don't get to explore. For those of us who are fond of alts, this is not exactly a drawback. The idea that a zone I've done three times before can still hold new secrets on the fourth playthrough is endlessly appealing. But it can also feel very limiting from the right perspective simply because it does build in some hard limitations. You will never be able to completely clear an area out on one character. If you only want to play one character, you're just out of luck. At the same time, I think this system will grow to be one of WildStar's strengths. So even if you want to just play one character and you wind up playing a single path, there are reasons to be happy about the way that paths work.
