helix
Latest
Helix springs onto WiiWare
Ghostfire Games will be releasing a rhythm title for WiiWare this summer, called Helix. You can get a taste of the game from the video above -- there's something mesmerizing about watching the skeleton-like figure dance against the pulsing backdrops. Even so, that's not the main appeal of Helix.The game, which will offer twenty-six different songs and three different difficulties, uses two Wiimotes to track your hand and arm motions. In that sense, not only is the game meant to be fun, but it also gives the player a nice workout.Helix will have over thirty moves that you can perform with the Wiimotes, but we're not sure whether the songs will be choreographed or if you can make your own combinations (probably the former). We also appreciate that the music in this WiiWare title comes from independent musicians.Check out another video of the game in action after the break!
Audiovox's XM2go X2G-100 Inno clone revealed
As exciting as it was to stare at the back of this thing a couple of months ago, we're kind of glad the FCC decided to flip the unit over and give us some more shots of this new satellite radio device from Audiovox. The latest in a series of XM2go clones, the X2G-100 looks like it's just about ready to party down with the Helix and Inno players, which were released earlier this year. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot new here: the player features the same 50 hours of recording time as its siblings, and while Audiovox was kind enough to toss in those clunky, Sirius-esque antenna headphones, they left out the home and car kits, so it's a bit of a wash. We are liking the new all-black look, but assuming a similar price tag on this thing, we don't see much reason to go with this sucker when it debuts in February, since we're sure there'll be another generation of portable XM devices not long after. Keep reading for a couple more pics.[Via Orbitcast]
Rhapsody hits the big 4.0
Along with all that SanDisk and Best Buy fraternizing that Real announced this morning, they've released the new 4.0 version of their Rhapsody music service. Perhaps the biggest change is under the hood: they're basing the player on the new "Rhapsody DNA," which is a technology platform that combines Real's Helix DRM, custom firmware for players (like the Sansa), and a web service API that allows for Sonos integration and other capabilities. What this means for the consumer is that Rhapsody 4.0 operates with the Sansa player in a much more integrated fashion than your average PlaysForSure syncing scheme. The new Rhapsody allows you to subscribe to genre or artist "Channels" which are automatically refreshed on your Sansa; drag and drop tracks into your library or onto the player; and create dynamic playlists that are, again, synced to your player automatically. There are other minor enhancements, mostly based around music recommendations, along with a decent facelift and a library import feature that can pull in stored music files, including files from "other services" -- which we're guessing refers to PlaysForSure files only. Prices are the same as ever: $9.99 for "Unlimited," and $14.99 for "Rhapsody To Go." Real is also promising week-early access to certain "hot new albums," and while all Rhapsody features will be available in the Best Buy Digital Music Store, there's going to be some exclusive content there as well. Real also announced today that they'll be pre-loading 30 hours of Rhapsody music onto all Sansa Rhapsody players sold.
Delphi's SkyFi 3 spotted
It's sure been a while, but Delphi is finally getting around to updating their SkyFi series with the new SkyFi 3 portable player, and the folks at xm411.com managed to get their hands on one for a little bit of alone time. They definitely like what they see, and while the bigger screen makes the device a decent bit larger than the Inno and Helix players, the unit should make for a good roadtrip companion, while still managing some portable action in a pinch. The 30-minute pause buffer is great for when you need to make a call or talk to your fellow car-riding companions, and the 8 hour battery isn't terrible for some pre-recorded XM action on the go. Unfortunately, the SkyFi 3 doesn't include a built-in antenna, so you'll have to strap on a dorky Wearable Kit (not included) to get live XM radio, and the battery can only handle 90 minutes of that. Luckily, the car kit is included, and the $200-ish price isn't too bad for what you're getting, so if it suits your purposes, it at least shouldn't break the bank.[Via Orbitcast]
Samsung's neXus XM DAP reviewed
We've always been a bit skeptical of portable DAPs like the Sirius S50 and Samsung neXus that promise to let you listen to sat radio content on-the-go, because since neither device includes a built-in satellite receiver, you're stuck with the programming you've recorded while the player was docked at home. PC Mag seems to agree that this class of gadgets offers rather limited functionality, and their review of the neXus isn't very promising for potential customers: unless you buy the $70 car kit for listening to live feeds in your ride, you're basically spending either $219 or $269, respectively, for either a 512MB or 1GB MP3 player that delivers neither great sound quality nor an acceptable battery life. What's more, you have to make sure that you keep the unit docked for at least eight hours a month so that XM can properly authenticate your subscription to keep your recorded tunes from disappearing. Ultimately, unless you're a on a tight budget and absolutely need some XM swag in your pocket at all times, PC Mag suggests -- and we tend to agree -- that you're better off shelling out a few more bucks for the Pioneer Inno or Samsung Helix, which both allow you to pick up and record live feeds right out of the box, no dock necessary.
Samsung's Helix YX-M1 XM radio reviewed
By most traditional readings of our handy dandy Gregorian calendar, the Samsung Helix's supposed release date of April 25th has slipped by without a whole lot of Helix YX-M1 releasing. Luckily, CNET is around to appease your Helix appetite with a review. They seem to like the little XM radio, but a few drawbacks make it a bit harder to love. Just like it's nearly identical twin, the Pioneer Inno, Samsung's Helix has the looks, the size (a mere 0.6-inches thick), and the interface of a winner. Unlike the Inno, the Helix managed to do its recording duties without a hitch. Unfortunately, all these good times will be routinely cut short by the paltry 5 hours of battery life for XM radio and a mere 1GB of non-expandable music storage. Also, exchanging music with your PC can be a painful affair, with the XM-branded Napster transferring tunes at a sluggish rate, and the lack of ability to transfer your recorded XM tunes back to your PC. All the same, the player does offer up a fairly unmatched portable satellite radio experience, so if you've gotta have your fix, it looks like a Helix or an Inno should be on your wish list.
Samsung releasing Helix and Nexus this month?
Well, looks like 25th of April will see the official release of Samsung's Helix and Nexus XM sat rads at the Samsung Experience in the Time Warner Center in our fair city of New York. We've been kind of expecting the release of the Helix (which was announced at CES) any day now, but the Nexus is way overdue, having been announced last September. For those thinking of swooping in to make a purchase, the Helix is Samsung's portable with live streaming XM and an FM transmitter. The Nexus doesn't have the same live sat capability, but does have 512MB and 1GB versions for playing back pre-recorded XM streams; both feature MP3 and WMA playback, and can use the XM / Napster service. You can already pre-order the Nexus for $219 / 270, but don't forget that you can pre-order that Pioneer Inno for $399, too.
Pioneer Inno XM2go DAP reviewed
We've had our eye on the Pioneer Inno and Samsung Helix combination DAP/XM2go receivers ever since they were announced at CES, and although the devices certainly looked to have a winning combination of features, we had several concerns that we were eager to see addressed in a hands-on. Well our wait is over, as a fairly gushing, and very thorough, review of the Inno by satellite radio enthusiast site Orbitcast has allayed all of our fears, and convinced us that the Inno, which both plays and records XM streams as well as handling your MP3's, is really as hot as the specs make it sound. Orbitcast is particularly impressed with the ease of managing content on the device, with powerful search functions, automatic track separation (when recording streams), and intuitive controls helping Inno achieve that delicate balance of features and simplicity. With reception actually better than older XM2go models, pretty decent battery life, excellent stock earbuds, and improved playback control, the only downside here seems to be the way in which the Inno partitions its memory: during the initial setup you must choose from only two configurations -- 100% storage devoted to XM content or a 50/50 split between XM and your own tracks -- and if you want to switch modes at a later date, your entire library of recorded swag gets wiped.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Helix updated for OS X
It's been a long time coming, but Helix 6 is finally available. That means a complete switch to Helix for OS X is finally possible. That also means no server running on OS X, clients running in Classic. For those who don't know, Helix is a powerful database app— similar to FileMaker. The core tool, Helix RADE, is a visual tool for programming relational databases, and creating apps built on those databases. While Helix isn't as slick as FileMaker (and nowhere near the marketing budget), it does have a loyal following. It's had plenty of time to develop a following, since it was introduced in 1983. But Helix's fanbase isn't necessarily old, it's practical. Helix uses an interesting workflow, and is reportedly quite easy to setup and manage. According to the site, they are also working on Windows and Linux versions of Helix.
