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LaCie intros 5big Network drive array to RAID junkies the world over
The LaCie product roof has been raised to 7.5TB with the new 5big Network -- an Active Directory and gigabit Ethernet-friendly array of storage drives that supports several RAID configurations for up to five hot-swappable hard drives. You can try it on in four different sizes -- 2.5TB for $899.99, 5TB for $1,399, or the aforementioned, bar-raising 7.5TB for $1,899. In keeping with his sixteen year relationship with LaCie, the renowned Neil Poulton applied his HAL 9000-inspired design to the product, winning him another Janus de L'industrie award. The only problem with the HAL motif: you really, really don't want your RAID storage device to drone on about how its "mind is going, Dave."[Via Technabob]
HAL robotic suit rental is ready for Tony Stark wannabes, the elderly
If you'll recall, Tsukuba University professor Yoshiyuki Sankai designed a robotic suit called HAL-5 a few years ago. Production of this handicap-overcomer began back in 2006, and as promised, manufacturer Cyberdyne (not to be confused with Cyberdyne Systems, best known for its genocidal Skynet AI and army of Terminator robots) is finally ready to crank it out in large numbers. Starting this Friday, HAL will be available for rent in Japan at the modest rate of $2,200 per month. Sankai hopes it will prove useful to the elderly and folks with disabilities by providing super-strength mechanical assistance when they send brain signals to move their limbs. HAL may be used for good but it won't be used for awesome; Sankai has turned down military-types who've expressed interest.[Thanks, Evan]
ChauhanStudio's Jetsons-esque HAL LCD TV gets real
Alright, so we're not really any closer to determining whether or not ChauhanStudio's HAL LCD TV is headed for commercial production, but we do know this: at least one of these bad boys are real. Yep, the mockup we saw a few months back has somehow made it into reality, though we can't say for sure that there is anything more than rarefied air packed within the glossy white enclosure. Regrettably, specifications are still unknown, but you can peek a shot of the back in the read link below should you be so inclined.[Via Unplggd]
VC Monday Madness video wrap-up 1/21/08
This week will likely look like another lackluster one, for a lot of you. With only two games available, one of which is already on the Virtual Console in other forms, the other being a sequel, we can understand your lack of enthusiasm. So, either you can be vindicated in your assumption that there isn't anything here this week for you, or you can be shocked that the games you thought weren't any good turned out to be at least decent.Or, you can just be a nihilist.
Kirby Super Star coming to DS
Before mini-game compilations were crazy ubiquitous, there was Kirby Super Star. Released at the tail-end of the SNES's lifetime, Super Star advertised "8 Games In One!", one of which being a graphically enhanced version of the Game Boy original, and four more being full-fledged platformers in their own right.Now, HAL Laboratories are bringing the Kirby party to the DS, with a remake of the SNES classic tentatively called Hoshi no Kirby Ultra Super Deluxe. No details yet on any additional features, but our buddies over at DS Fanboy have aptly observed that a wireless icon in one of the screens means that the game will at least have local wireless play, and additional screenshots show cutscenes in the same style as HAL's fighting phenomenon Super Smash Bros. Brawl. More details as they become available. For now, though, color us excited.Update: Additional screens found at Jeux France show that this game is a remake, and not a true sequel. Thanks to reader Sonicandtails for the tip.%Gallery-8475%[Via DS Fanboy]
Virtually Overlooked: Kabuki Quantum Fighter
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative. HAL America's Kabuki Quantum Fighter has been featured on Virtually Overlooked once before, as a game that has a similar title to Phantom Fighter. But it's too weird to let pass with just a superficial mention. It's hard to imagine a game so enthusiastically nonsensical being overlooked, but the very lack of this game on the Virtual Console is evidence that such a situation has taken place. We must rectify this! For the honor of Japanese theater, and the fictional fighting styles associated with it for some reason!
Devour this Gamecube Kirby video, gain its power
We caught this trailer from the unreleased Gamecube Kirby platformer on Gamevideos, and we are agape. Stunned. We think that given the choice to release this or Kirby Air Ride, Nintendo may have chosen poorly.Kirby is clearly using HAL's Super Smash Bros. Melee engine, and to awesome effect, as the graphics look great and the combat looks fighting-game solid. The video shows off Kirby's ability to not only copy enemy attacks, but to trade in those attacks for helper creatures. We loved the ability-combining mechanic from Kirby 64, and we're glad to see new stuff being done with Kirby's, uh, eating habits.The world needs side-scrolling platformers, especially when they look this cool. We sincerely hope that the release of this trailer is foreshadowing a Wii release of the game. See the trailer for yourself following the post break.[Via NeoGAF]
Featured Friday Video: Kirby gets his squeak on
Earlier, we brought you the metareview -- now see for yourself. After all, if you haven't yet bought the game, it's always nice to check out a little footage along with the reviews. Check out the puff doing his platform thing after the jump.
Metareview: Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby has a wide array of powers, among them the little known aura that inspires complete adoration. Who could look upon the puff and not smile? In that, most of us agree. But there's something that no one can agree on when it comes to the newly released Kirby: Squeak Squad -- and that's the difficulty of the game. Sure, reviewers may be extolling Kirby's virtues, but the list of virtues is not quite the same from one write-up to another. Yahoo! Games - 70%: In terms of difficulty, this is one of the easier platformers on the DS ...This game definitely catered to the less patient and less experienced DS owners. Mini-games are another beloved aspect of Kirby titles, but Squeak Squad's are disappointing: Play a variation on bumper cars, engage in speed eating, or avoid bombs in a treasure hunt. Even the prospect of multiplayer competitions can't add much longevity to these quickly cast-aside diversions. Cubed3 - 90%: ...people oft complain that Kirby's adventures are far too easy, thus do not manage to scale the heights of Mario's platform games. They generally point out that it is especially due to the fact that he can inhale fresh air and then just float along at the top of the screen until the end of a level. However, this really is not the case with Squeak Squad as the levels are extremely intricate, housing so many secrets that it is practically impossible to find them all on your first play through. There are eight worlds in total, broken down into separate levels, with a final boss at the end of each one. Altogether there are 37 stages, seven hidden ones and eight boss battles. The main stages and boss battles alone should be enough to keep the average gamer happy, but thankfully for those Kirby masters out there, much more is added on top of this to make the package truly complete. GamePro - 80%: The only thing we didn't like about Squeak Squad is that it's a tad on the easy side. To say that it's forgiving is an understatement. Food, which replenishes your health, is readily available and the bosses don't put up much of a challenge. Also, the cartoonish visual style might turn off more mature gamers who like their games to have a little hair on their chests. But there is no denying the ineffable charm of this title and gamers looking to give their DS a workout should gobble this one up like it was made of sweet, sweet candy.
HAL-5 robotic suit ready for mass production
Tsukuba University engineering professor Yoshiyuki Sankai could probably give his two weeks notice if he should so desire, as his brainchild -- better known as HAL -- is getting ready for "mass production." Cyberdyne has embraced the overwhelming potential available in a fully robotic suit, which could prove handy in such applications such as "walking assistance and rehabilitation, nursing, factory work and disaster relief." Having already assisted a paralyzed individual (almost) summit a mountain, the robotic suit will reportedly find itself in hospital wards in Tsukuba city (alongside the HOSPI, presumably) soon, and the company plans to produce "20 units" by 2007, while ramping up to "400-500" in 2008. While the idea of having your own personal strength-boosting Halloween costume might sound appealing, you'll have to pony up an estimated "¥5 million ($42,273) - ¥7 million ($59,182)" to purchase one, or ¥70,000 ($592) per month to rent, but even that's pocket change compared to throwing down for your own personal Land Walker.[Via Engadget Japanese]
Kirby Squeak Squad montage
Gotta love the puff. He's cute, he's fluffy, and he's incredibly versatile, as this video demonstrates. Nothing gets Kirby down for long. Of course, that's probably because he could eat anything that tried, but that's neither here nor there. This video montage from Kirby's Squeak Squad shows us just what happens to things that get in Kirby's way. Check it out after the jump!
Matsushita and Activelink unveil rehabilitating robotic suit
If tossing on a HAL cyborg suit and ascending a mountain seems a bit intimidating to you, Japanese firms Matsushita (producer of Panasonic) and Activelink have partnered with Kobe Gakuin University to develop a robotic jacket that helps rehabilitate paralyzed individuals with slightly less "lofty" goals. The vest, which slips over an individual's upper body and arms (no leg support just yet), allows the person to move their unaffected arm as they please, while it mimics the muscles in the paralyzed area(s) to help the patient recall the feelings of maneuvering that limb. By teaching the person to take over for the motorized "stretching and bending compressors" within the device, the 1.8-pound suit can gradually help someone to regain stimulation in a previously motionless area of their upper body. Activelink reportedly plans to "start testing" the unit at a Hyogo hospital soon, and make it commercially available by March 2009. The only kicker is the price -- at ¥2,000,000 ($17,159), customers best ensure their insurance plan is mighty stout before suiting up in this.
HAL robot suit almost summits with quadriplegic man in tow
In another instance of overcoming physical limitations via the help of robotics, a 43-year old Japanese man has (almost) fulfilled his dream of climbing the 13,741-foot Breithorn mountain in Switzerland. Seiji Uchida, who has been paralyzed from the neck down for over two decades, was able to get within 500 yards of the mountaintop with the help of a HAL (hybrid assistive limb) suit worn by his pal Takeshi Matsumoto. We reported that this escapade was in the works a few months back, and thanks to the (completely legal) strength enhancing device developed by Tsukuba University engineering professor Yoshiyuki Sankai, Uchida enjoyed a first-class piggyback ride up the Klein Matterhorn. Sankai's HAL has been in development for 14 years, and has been dubbed a product of his startup company, Cyberdyne (hasn't this name been trademarked by now?). According to Cyberdyne, the HAL allows someone who can normally lift 220 pounds on a leg press to hoist 396 pounds, an impressive 80% increase. Sankai mentioned the HAL could perform under less-than-ideal weather situations including snow, and that his main goal was to use this Alpine climb to build an even better HAL to assist disabled individuals in achieving their dreams -- quite an uplifting objective, eh?
Climber to wear HAL cyborg suit, carry quadriplegic man to summit
We're still waiting for someone to toss one of these HAL cyborg suits on and do battle with the forces of evil, but until then we'll have to celebrate the little things. Or not so little things, in this case. The "hybrid assistive limb" suits are going to be used by two mountaineers to ascend the peak of a Swiss mountain while carrying a 43-year old quadriplegic man and a 16-year old student with muscular dystrophy. The two climbers will start 930 feet below the summit, with one carrying the 43-year old Seiji Uchida on his back, and the other dragging the 16-year old Kyoga Ide in a sled. Sounds like quite the task, even with a muscle aiding cyborg suit, but we're sure the climbers could totally p0wn any ninjas that might come in between them and the summit.[Via The Raw Feed]
