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Barely Related: Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer is full of surprises
Surprise! It's Friday! Now let's get down to some geeky business. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Engadget Daily: a real-life hoverboard, a TV show for Vine celebrities, and more!
Yes, it's true: Our own Sean Buckley rode a real-life hoverboard. But that's not all we have for you on this fine day -- read on for the rest of our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including the Avi-on Bluetooth light switch, an app that solves math problems, and more.
ZBoard's back in your future with a hoverboard and high top bundle
Remember when we told you about HalloweenCostumes.com's officially-licensed light-up high tops from Back To The Future Part II? We joked that the kicks would have gone great with ZBoard's limited-edition Hoverboard that it produced for the Michael J. Fox foundation last year. Unfortunately, only 50 decks and 25 full boards were created for the auction, so it looks as if that (time-traveling) train has sailed. Well, until now, that is, since the company has now produced a general-sale run of its bright pink electric skateboard, and will even sell you the high tops in a single bundle. The board on its own will set you back $600, while a set with the futuristic kicks is priced at $700, plus one lucky competition winner will win a complete replica of Marty McFly's future outfit from the movie. Be warned, however, as you've only got 14 days to scrounge together the cash, or else you'll be outtatime (geddit?).
We rode a $10,000 hoverboard, and you can too
It's impossible to talk about hoverboards without invoking a particular movie title, so we're not even going to try: Remember that awesome scene from Back to the Future Part II? It's one step closer to reality: A California startup just built a real, working hoverboard. Arx Pax is attempting to crowdfund the Hendo Hoverboard as a proof of concept for its hover engine technology -- it's not quite the floating skateboard Marty McFly rode through Hill Valley (and the Wild West), but it's an obvious precursor to the imagined ridable: a self-powered, levitating platform with enough power to lift a fully grown adult.
A surfboard attached to a firehose is a... hoverboard?
A few years ago, JetLev developed a jetpack that let users float in mid air, so long as they were on the water. Using that same principle, French jet ski champion Franky Zapata developed the Flyboard, which let you follow behind a speedboat with a set of water-powered rocket boots. A few years later, and Zapata is back with the Hoverboard, which does the same job, but attached to a board with a single nozzle hanging out back. Now, aquatic daredevils and perform tricks and stunts to shame nearby surfer dudes. If there's one downside, it's that you'll spend the better part of $6,000 on one of the units -- not to mention owning or having access to your own speedboat.
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.
Visualized: Marty McFly impersonator shows off ZBoards' hoverboard-inspired creation
It's Back to the Future-inspired, it's for charity and it's an electric freaking skateboard. What's not to like? Oh, and it's at Expand New York, of course, being demoed by one of ZBoard's cofounders, dressed to the nines in the latest 2015 fashion. It's no Pitbull, but it'll do in a pinch.
Community puzzles out first Wildstar vehicle: Hoverboards
MMO fans are always eager for more news about their favorite games, and Carbine Studios obliged with a new WildStar DevSpeak video this week focusing on the Warrior. But there was more to this video than just a class highlight; embedded in the clip were clues to even more news. However, to get this tidbit of hidden news, players would have to work for it. The community jumped on the task and soon puzzled out the solution, leading them to the discovery of a new mount: the hoverboard. Check out the visual reward for the community's investigative labors in the video below -- unless you want to figure it all out for yourself! [Thanks to Exes for the tip!]
ZBoard will sell you Marty McFly's hoverboard, minus the hover (video)
It's your kids, Marty! Something has got to be done about your kids! They get to October 21st, 2015, and they don't have any flying cars, hoverboards and, even worse, Jaws 19 still hasn't started production! That's why ZBoard has decided to take our destiny into its own hands to create a limited-edition Back To The Future Part II-inspired version of its electric, weight-sensing skateboard. The ZBoard Hoverboard comes in a delightful shade of Mattel-inspired pink and will travel 20 miles on land, as long as you've got enough jiggawatts. A limited run of 25 boards is being produced, with the profits going to the Michael J. Fox foundation for Parkinson's Research, with each one setting you back $1,500 on Indiegogo -- while 50 more can just pick up the custom deck for a regular ZBoard for $200. There's a video or two after the break, but be warned -- some people may drop the odd expletive when they get their hands on a hoverboard.
Mattel's hoverboard keeps McFly planted on terra firma, away from water
There's no need to worry: your eyes aren't deceiving you, and the year most certainly isn't 2015. Still, that isn't stopping Mattel from teasing the iconic hoverboard at the New York Toy Fair. First made famous by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II, the product became something of Hollywood lore when the movie's director, Robert Zemeckis, insisted the contraption was real. While the claim later proved to be a prank, the desire for a genuine hoverboard has lived on. Now, following in the footsteps of McFly's MAG shoes from Nike, Mattel suggests it'll begin accepting preorders for the hoverboard replica next month. While the toy doesn't actually fly (but rather glides), it's said to emit a whooshing sound so that riders can pretend they're surfing through the air. Should Mattel solicit enough interest, the product will ship by year's end -- otherwise the company will merely scrap the idea and return to churning out Barbies.
Toyota demos Prius' proximity notification system, touts 'futuristic' purr (video)
Silence may be a virtue under most circumstances, but not when you're driving around a leafy, residential neighborhood in your Toyota Prius. That's why the manufacturer came out with its very own vehicle proximity notification system last year -- a "futuristic," underhood noisemaker designed to alert pedestrians and the visually impaired to the plug-in's presence. Now, Toyota has offered more details on its safety system, in a freshly released demo video starring the 2012 Prius V. The car's artificial engine noise, as the company explains, only kicks in at speeds below 15 miles per hour, allowing it to broadcast its audible heads-up across parking lots or other low-speed zones. The sound itself, meanwhile, emanates from external speakers and consists of a blend of high and low frequencies that won't be by muffled by background noise or physical obstacles. The vehicle's pitch shift technology also enables the tone to rise in pitch as the car speeds up and to fall as it slows down, giving others an idea of how fast it's approaching. Accelerate past the break to see the full video for yourself, while John Kerry nods in silent approval.
Artist creates Back to the Future hoverboard -- that actually hovers (video)
Don't expect to ride it on solid ground -- much less water -- but what you see above is indeed a hoverboard that floats. Using electromagnets embedded in the podium and a laser system to measure its position, artist Nils Guadagnin has managed to keep a familiar-looking pink plank aloft, a full five years and five months before the real deal supposedly sees common use. Give the man a pair of kicks, a car and a flux capacitor, and he'll be all set. Video after the break.
Free Realms update introduces hoverboards and more
Vacant lots, hoverboards, and launchpads. The latest Free Realms update introduces new items sure to have players lining up at the cash shop. Sure to be a big hit among the new items are the hoverboards -- all-terrain hoverboards, to be precise. They can be a bit tricky, so Ref Ruby has a guide on how to use your new ATH more effectively. In addition to the hoverboards, you can now purchase your very own launchpads -- try combining the use of those with the hoverboards and see what happens. There are new items to enjoy when you're back on the ground, as well: how about some new blocks and bridges? The new blocks are made out of everything from storm clouds to cheese (no, really) and there are even some that disappear a few seconds after you land on them. You can also choose brick or wood bridges while you're shopping for further building options. There is more to be found in the new update, and it's all live now, so take a look at the full set of update notes for all the details!
Video: Scarpar off-road powerboard absolutely must go commercial
Hoverboards? Too complicated, too far out and too expensive. What the world really needs is the Scarpar. Said device is an off-road powerboard that just moved on from the concept stage to engineering. Its creators have thrown together an absolutely sick video (after the break) which showcases all the possibilities, and now all that's left is for those very folks to procure a good bit of venture funding to get things moving. Take it from us, VCers -- hit these guys up, now.
Back to the Future hoverboard up for auction: $30k to play
Tired of waiting for scientists to crack the secrets of levitation in order to purchase a bona fide hoverboard? Look, life's short -- why not take matters into your own hands? A genuine wooden Mattel hoverboard used by Michael J. Fox (or Marty McFly, as we prefer to call him) in Back to the Future II and III is up for auction, though the barrier to entry is rather substantial. Of course, this is considered the "best example of all wood hoverboards to have survived the rigors of filming," but whether or not it's worth the $30,000+ asking price is entirely up to you.[Via CrunchGear]
Secrets of levitation cracked by Scottish researchers?
Try not to get too frenetic here, but a couple of gurus at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland have reportedly created an "incredible levitation effect by engineering the force of nature which normally causes objects to stick together." In layman's terms, the scientists have devised a way to reverse the phenomenon known as the Casimir force so that it "repels instead of attracts." Ultimately, the discovery could lead to "frictionless micro-machines with moving parts that levitate," and in theory, devices could be created to transport humans. Do realize, however, that individuals in this team have also "showed that invisibility cloaks are feasible," so we're not counting ourselves amongst the faithful just yet.[Thanks, James][Our readers have let us know that this article's headline bore some similarities to other articles on the same topic -- though purely coincidental, in the interest of further differentiating the post we've edited it to a small degree. -Ed.]
