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Lumus-Optical's LOE-based glasses get pictured
Just as expected, Lumus-Optical is all set to showcase its microdisplay-packin' spectacles at CES, and while it doesn't seem that the technology has changed since we first heard of them, we've now got a slew of photographs to go by. Apparently, the glasses will boast twin microdisplays and an ultra-thin LOE lens, which can purportedly immerse the wearer by creating the effect of viewing a 60-inch screen from ten feet away. Also of note, the company claims that unlike gaudy alternatives, these won't make you look like a complete tool, but judging by the image above, we aren't so sure that's entirely accurate.Read - Press release [PDF]Read - Photos
Play Tiny Empires in Second Life
Tiny Empires is not a craze where you herd tiny avatars, but is a HUD interfaced turn-based game within Second Life. It is based, somewhat loosely, on a feudal society, in which the amount of land you own, or control, relates directly to your social status (although you start as a wanderer and become a peasant before joining the ranks of the nobles, somewhat improbably).Each turn you gain some income from your land, pay homage to those more important than you and the like. You can also be offered (pictured) the chance to buy more land, sell land, upgrade your technology (dig with a shovel rather than fingernails, use a plough, hire a peasant, buy an ox etc. - I suspect the list continues) to increase productivity from your land, upgrade your house (this is important later on, when to become a king or queen you must have a suitable palace), win prizes in competitions and the like. Oh, and once a year (12 turns) you must pay your taxes of course!The game is nice in many ways - particularly for me, because you can leave it running in the background and it only clicks turns over every 3 minutes so you can do other things rather than give it your undivided attention. It is completely self contained (although I guess you could swap land for L$) and just for fun - but it is very much fun, and I will be aiming for Princess status just as fast as I can! There are guide wikis, blogs and cheatsheets, and a wide array of in-world groups available already. If you'd like to play and need a liege, come and look me up!
iSuppli looks at LCD dominance, emerging competition
Not that it bears repeating, but LCDs have a pretty firm grip on the display market at large. Of course, that doesn't mean that other technologies will just sit idly on the sidelines, and research firm iSuppli managed to take a closer look at emerging competitors to see just how viable some alternatives actually are. It should be noted that the report tends to focus on displays used in smaller wares, such as navigators, cellphones and heads-up displays, but the findings can certainly be applied to the HDTV industry at large. Throughout the writeup, bi-stable displays -- defined as "electronic displays that are capable of presenting an image without using power" -- are expected to see the biggest growth in the coming years, while near-eye display revenue and the global HUD market will see slightly less impressive gains. Moreover, the pocket projector market is poised to explode, as it promises gigantic output from an incredibly diminutive footprint. Granted, it remains to be seen how long it'll take for a 1080p projector to fit in the palm of one's hand, but we can safely say we're already infatuated with the idea.[Image courtesy of PolymerVision]
Second Life rated one of 3 worst HUDs by GamePro
GamePro just listed their '10 Best HUDs in Gaming' feature, with a final section entitled 'The 3 Worst HUDs', and Second Life is 3rd on that list, just behind Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, and X-Men: Legends. While they say "Looking at the gameplay involves a lot of guess work to figure out what's going on in the world", they could have, and should have been a lot more critical.Residents of SL know just how difficult it is to get around the interface as a newbie, and while I understand that's one of the major pieces Linden Lab is working on (I know someone who was recently hired to work on UI changes specifically), it's still an intimidating thing to look at, much less try to sort through when you're looking for just one simple command. I mean, look at that screenshot. Technically, those are just menus that have been torn out of the bar, and not the entire interface, but it still applies -- they're ugly, they're complicated, the choices are somewhat obtuse. So now that it's been officially noticed, what will LL have in store for us? How would you fix this?[Thanks, Mitch!]
TUAW Interview: Inco, simple sysadmin from your iPhone
The dream of remote system management from your handheld device -- like Dick Tracy's wrist radio, but for geeks -- has long enticed IT professionals. Who wouldn't rather be at the beach or the ballgame instead of chained to a laptop and network access in case something goes wrong? There are already RDC and SSH clients for Windows Mobile and Blackberry devices, but it sure seems like the iPhone would be great for this sort of thing... basic, simple system admin from wherever you happen to be, and on the world's coolest phone, what could be better?That's what Virginia Tech sysadmin Josh Eckstein thought, and hence: Inco, the system management tool for iPhone. Inspired by a vacation (sans Internet access) where he needed to keep an eye on his servers, and complete with heads-up displays of processes and load, file/user controls and an SSH shell (all via MobileSafari, no need to jailbreak or install custom apps), Inco looks like a promising helper for the iPhone owner with rack-mounted gear back in the datacenter that needs monitoring. The elevator pitch for Inco is "like a Green Beret for your computer: be able to get in, do your work, and get out, no hassle," says Josh. If that sounds good to you, the beta signup for Inco has begun over at getinco.com, and you can try it out for yourself; the eventual release will run you $39. Josh was kind enough to sit down with us for a quick chat about the current state of Inco and where he hopes to get the product in the near term.
GlobalTop HD100 GPS Speed Meter HUD scores first review
The GlobalTop HD100 GPS heads-up display is pulling a formal review over at DigitalReviews. This is the same Bluetooth GPS receiver with speed alerts that we went hands-on with in March. This highly portable navigation stick packs a MediaTek chip capable of a 1 second hot start acquisition time or 36 seconds cold. Although they have yet to take the device on the open road, they've already found the bright and constantly blinking LEDs (even after GPS and Bluetooth device acquisition) to be rather annoying and likely distracting during nighttime use. The device also requires that you stick a reflective film to your windshield before getting your HUD on. Fortunately, the two included film strips are much smaller than the early prototype we saw at CeBIT. The worst news? We'll have to wait a few more weeks before they get around to testing the device on the open road. Worth the wait to see just how well the device hooks into the navigation software on Bluetooth-equipped phones and PDAs.[Thanks, Anton]
Hands-on with GlobalTop HD100 GPS heads-up display
We had the chance to briefly go hands-on with the GlobalTop HUD GPS device this afternoon at CeBIT. Unfortunately, this occurred within the confines of a demonstration booth, not a fine German car. The heads-up display was certainly readable on the tinted screen. However, it was barely visible when we moved it to the side. Ok, it's a prototype device, but we left the booth wondering just how visible the speed and direction indicators would be along an open stretch of sunny PCH roadway -- especially when these are supposed to pop as early as next month in Europe for about $100. Best wait for a proper review before plunking down on this one.%Gallery-2161%
GlobalTop intros GPS HUD Speed Meter
It's practically a foregone conclusion that eying your handy GPS unit a bit too much whilst cruising down the freeway can indeed put you and your fellow motorists in peril, and while robotic turn-by-turn voiceovers do quell the staring fits somewhat, we still tend to rely a tad too much on sheer visuals. GlobalTop is hoping to make the roads a safer place to navigate with its forthcoming GPS HUD Speed Meter, which will supposedly makes its debut at CeBIT. This Bluetooth-enabled device purportedly "displays your speed and other navigational info, like direction, onto your car's windshield," and also enables handsfree communications with your BT-equipped cellphone. Moreover, the speed meter can be setup to alert the driver when exceeding a user-set limit, and while you may not be familiar with the brand, it's reportedly a spinoff of f-tech, which bodes fairly well for us actually seeing this thing beyond the Photoshop stage. As expected, there's no pricing or availability deets surfacing just yet, but all that should change come next month.[Via NaviGadget]
AddOn Spotlight: MetaHUD
When I posted my UI the other day, as well as when I posted about ArcHUD, I got a lot of Drathal's HUD (DHUD) fans telling me I should use that instead. I had tried DHUD before, but it never really grabbed me. However, I figured if so many nice WoW Insider readers liked it, perhaps I should give it another shot. MetaHUD seems to be DHUD's successor, so I downloaded that, and have been playing with it for the last day or so.The verdict? I love it! You guys were right; MHUD is really, really nice. I'm not sure I'm going to throw away Arc just yet, but MHUD is making me very happy indeed. I think my favorite part is the casting bar, which I liked so much I put up a shoddy video on YouTube of it (please excuse my YouTube noobiness; it looks better on screen, I swear).
AddOn Spotlight: ArcHUD
This is my HUD. There are many like it, but this one is mine. I've gotten a few questions from various people about how to make the rings show up around your character, and this is how I do it. ArcHUD, like other HUD mods, puts meters for your health, your mana/rage/energy, your target's health, and other things right by your character where the action is, so you don't always have to go looking up into the corner of the screen. In the screenshot, for instance, from left to right, the bars are: my mana, my HP, my casting bar, and target's HP. Near the bars, you can see text for various things: the name of the spell I'm casting (lol, Smite), my HP and MP in numerical form, the time left on my cast, and my target's percentage health remaining. Below all that is some extra info on my target, target of target, and target of target's target, along with a nice little 3D model of my target (this helps to quickly see who you're targeting when healing).
Siemens VDO showcases electronic sign recognition
Siemens VDO -- the same in-car gurus that brought us the oh-so-snazzy eCorner contraption -- is back at it again in an attempt to jazz up the plainly styled dashboards that we've (begrudgingly) grown accustomed to. While adaptive cruise control has become somewhat commonplace in higher-end automobiles, that technology simply keeps you from resetting your speed every time the cabbie in front of you eases on and off the accelerator; Siemens' traffic sign recognition system boasts a camera attached to an internal computer which automatically recognizes common road signs and displays an alert in the driver's heads-up display. Not only will the driver see a digital rendition of the sign without taking his / her eyes too far off the road, but he / she will have the option of enabling the vehicle to dynamically adapt to changes in speed limits, theoretically eliminating any previously valid excuse you could give the boys in blue once pulled over. While we're sure those speed freaks will happily turn down this convenience on their next car purchase, those of us who need all the help we can get in taming that lead foot (and skyrocketing insurance premiums) can look for this speed-dictating option in 2008.[Via The Raw Feed]
Sadness details that are not exclusive in any way
IGN's banner headline: "We bring you exclusive new details on the psychological-horror title." We're appreciative and all, but now we're just gonna take those exclusive details and steal them. You should certainly check out the original article if you're interested in hearing a bit of sample music from the game.NIBRIS has, thankfully, acquired a publisher for their work. Rumored to be either Atlus or Majesco, this mystery group is quite unwillingly to allow the Sadness team to unveil any in-game screenshots. You'll remember that the game is in all black and white...a gutsy stylistic choice. We like it. Now, NIBRIS is confirming that the game will have no HUD (heads-up display) to mar the cinematic quality of the game. This worked quite well for the PS2 masterpiece Shadow of the Colossus, and we applaud the decision.Also of note is that NIBRIS is essentially oursourcing the graphics engine and programming to well-known companies: Frontline Studios for the code, and Digital Amigos for the engine. These are experienced sources, and so hopefully some veteran shine will come through on what is otherwise a very "indie" game.The team seems very committed to bringing a truly frightening and intuitive experience. Novelists and psychologists have been consulted for the game script, and the designers promise us the ability to interact with the environment in ways only made possible with the Wii controller. There is a downside, however...we're going to have to wait. Sadness isn't touching our consoles until Q4 2007...at the earliest.
Boffins at Oregon State create transparent circuits?
Dude, screw the transparent OLEDs, it's all about transparent circuits, which some Oregon State University scientists seem to have created. The significance, of course, is clear (ahem): you save a lot of space in devices -- especially portables -- when your circuit board is your screen, not mounted on a wafter in a package on a board behind it. Apparently the scientists even expect clear, glass-mounted indium gallium oxide circuitry to ultimately be cheaper to produce than silicon. The military's in on the gig too, the Army Research Office is a project sponsor (as is HP and the National Science Foundation), probably for the project's obvious heads-up display uses. Will we, um, not see this gear any time in the near future? Hard to say, they're only up to 26 transistors in a single array as of yet (compared to the hundreds of millions in chips nowadays), but we'll be waiting.[Thanks, James F]
Head-up displays: limiting immersion?
Gamasutra writer Greg Wilson examines the problem of conveying information in games without limiting immersiveness. Traditionally, video game designers have tacked on a persistent head-up display (or HUD) that notifies players of their health and weapons status, among other things. The problem with HUDs is that they can remove the player from the game, making the player realise they are "just playing a game". Also, a HUD filled to the brink with icons and text is daunting for casual players and can increase the learning curve.With new technology such as high definition hitting the console market, Gamasutra suggests that game designers think a little more carefully about how to convey information to the player. Using visual clues featured in games such as Call of Duty 2 (where red flashes indicate low health) and Doom 3 (which features an ammo read-out on weapons) is the desired solution to this problem.As the article concludes, if game designers want to create more "sophisticated levels of immersion and intuitive gameplay in their creations, they will no doubt devise equally sophisticated and unique ways to communicate critical information to the player." Sure, just as long as they don't insist on brain implants to feed us our current score in Counter-Strike.[Thanks, m3mnoch][Update: Minor change in grammar for opening sentence]