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Playcast hoping to beat OnLive to the game streaming punch
We're still not comfortable with the magical technoworkings that apparently allow OnLive to summon games from the ether -- to think that other companies have the engineering prowess to pull it off is terrifying. According to a recent press release, a startup company named Playcast Media has teamed up with an Israeli cable network called Hot to stream "PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 quality games," straight to Israel's set-top cable boxes. The service is in beta now -- in Q1 2010, it'll rollout over all of Israel. It's expected to hit "major markets" in the US, Asia and Europe later that year.That's a lot of heady claims from a service we know so little about. Fortunately, an Israeli tech journalist named Denis Vitchevsky got a chance to check out the service, and came off with an optimistic impression. He says the technology is "somewhat similar to OnLive," and that the demo he witnessed "worked quite well." He claims Playcast has signed agreements with a few publishers, and is promising a huge library at launch. For now, the service is offering PC ports -- but no M rated games just yet, due to a lack of parental control features.We're trying to get more info on the service, but as you might imagine, it takes a while for emails to zip between here and Israel.
Israeli cable TV provider tries its hand at streaming games on demand
Although it won't beat OnLive out the gate -- assuming that company sticks to its winter 2009 target date -- Israeli cable TV provider Hot has unveiled its plans to provide streaming games on demand, with all the processing power done server-side so you can keep that weak cable box as is, thanks to technology from local company PlayCast. A trial program is in the cards for 1,000 customers, with access for everyone coming in early 2010. If this screen shot's any indication, it's not exactly looking to stream Crysis -- if anything, we're expecting something more comparable to what we saw on our last visit to Holiday Inn, which is still infinitely better than the nonexistent streaming gaming options our cable TV companies are currently offering stateside.
Modu cellphone reportedly launching this week in Israel
Take this one with a grain of salt, but word from across the Atlantic is that Modu will finally (finally!) launch its long-awaited, self-titled handset in just a few days. If you'll recall, we actually toyed with the revamped handset as well as a few "jackets" back at MWC this year, but at that point, no one wanted to share any details surrounding the grand launch plan. Now, however, a report from Israel states that the phone -- along with one jacket -- will go on sale this Wednesday (July 22nd) for 500 Israeli shekels, or right around $130. So, does this mean that elusive touchscreen Modu is just a few days/weeks/months away, or what?[Thanks, Dror]
Video: Solar-powered night garden fills Jerusalem with tranquility, world peace soon to follow
Juxtaposing the manmade and the natural in artistic expression oftentimes leads to creepy results. It is no mean feat, then, that the Jerusalem night garden -- built out of steel wires, laser-cut panels and 1W to 3W Power LEDs -- feels like a warm and welcoming place to visit. Whether it is the clean energy source, producing 720W of electricity per hour, or the ethereal light and movement of the flowers, something about the exhibition awakens the wistful child we've got locked away in the Engadget dungeons. He cries out for more of this aesthetically pleasing eco-friendly design, which in this case even comes with a specially composed soundtrack. To see if you agree with such juvenile enthusiasm, check out the video after the break.[Via inhabitat]
WoWPals helps you find more friends in Azeroth
WoWPals.net is a brand new social networking site targeted at you WoW players that just got a nice bit of coverage over on VentureBeat's GamesBeat site. Social networking is taking off just as much as World of Warcraft lately, and so there's a whole slew of companies trying to step up and become the de facto social service for gamers, from GamerDNA and Rupture to wowtwitter and even our own little enterprise. WoWPals isn't too different -- it's run by a few gamers based in Israel, and is currently in alpha, and hoping for a beta by the end of the year. You register to the site with your first character, and after a short wait for an activation email, you can jump in and find friends by guild or server, or punch in your location and search around that way. Once you're friends, there's not much more to do but chat and message each other, but what more do you need, really?Personally, I think WoW already covers the bases of a social network (though in the past I've said I would like to have the option to see more about players than the characters, and these sites can certainly fill that need), so all of these end up being either extraneous -- do I really need another Twitter just for my characters? -- or just plain unnecessary: maybe I don't want my friends to know exactly what I did in game last night.So no, I personally haven't been sold on any of these sites yet (though I do like reading through the player blogs here on WoW.com, and I'm not just saying that because I work here). I'm active ingame, and I'm active on various social networks, and keeping the two separate is fine by me. But if you are looking for even more ways to find new friends in World of Warcraft, maybe you can meet some new pals with WoWPals, too.
Microsoft confirms acquisition of 3DV
Speaking during an annual conference at Microsoft's Israeli research and development center, the head of Israel R&D and corporate VP Moshe Lichtman openly confirmed the acquisition of 3DV's motion technology -- the same motion technology speculated as being used in the company's ambitious Project Natal. "The R&D center helped Microsoft in buying the intellectual property of 3DV Systems, and in the wake of that, dozens of the company's employees were recruited to work at the development center," Globes reports Lichtman said. Though we still don't know the amount Microsoft spent acquiring 3DV, considering the amount of marketing muscle "the big M" is putting behind Project Natal, we're guessing it wasn't exactly a pittance. Now, to arrange for a few sneaky Joystiq operatives in Israel to find out exactly what's happening inside the company's clandestine research and development offices.%Gallery-65582%[Via Edge Online]
AORA builds sci-fi-looking solar/hybrid plant in the Israeli desert
A company called AORA has developed a hybrid solar power plant in the Israeli desert. Comprised of a number of 100kWe base units, the operation is modular (additional units can be added) and it should be complete sometime in the next ten days. When operational, thirty mirrors will track the sun and direct its rays up to the 98.4 foot tall "flower," where the concentrated sunlight heats compressed air, which in turn drives an electric turbine. When the sun has set for the day (or if it's cloudy) the turbine can be run off of biodiesel, natural gas, or fossil fuels, allowing the plant to operate twenty-four hours. The only downside we can see is that the huge tower is sure to attract psychopaths like Lord Humungus and Wez -- so you'll want some weapons. More pics after the break.[Via Inhabitat]
Israeli military develops robot snake for battlefield, children's nightmares
While this is by no means the first time we've seen a robotic snake prototype, it ain't every day that we find one so close to deployment. This self-propelling, two foot long robot can crawl along the ground, climb through debris, and even stand erect to give the operator a better view through the forward-mounted camera. The Israeli Defense Force says it will use this thing for "routine surveillance and reconnaissance." And if this is not enough? In that case, the prototype can be wired with explosives -- making it, in the words of the Jerusalem Post, a "suicide snake." Fun! And rather upsetting. No proposed price or timetable yet, but you can see the thing in action for yourself after the break.
Video: Better Place's automated electric vehicle battery switch station is faster than Melvin Dummar
It's massive, costs $500,000, and is just a prototype; but you're looking at a possible solution for swapping out heavy car batteries from future electric vehicles. Kind of important if you're hoping to take your EV on a trip a bit further than the supermarket or city center without having to stop for a lengthy recharge. This switch station, unveiled in Japan by Better Place, can swap out a spent battery in less time than it takes to refuel the tank in that baby-killer of a car you hold so precious. These battery swap stations are just part of the enormous infrastructure required to support Better Place's subscription approach to electric vehicles -- infrastructure easily estimated to cost $250 million or so for countries like Israel or Denmark on up to the $1 Billion already pledged by San Francisco Bay Area mayors. Better Place admits that the swap technology is a work in progress but hopes to have 150,000 charging stations and about 100 battery swap stations deployed in Israel by 2011. Check the video after the break.
Online games become a hot issue in Israeli politics
Throughout the recent American presidential campaign for Barack Obama, online gaming played a fairly important role. Not only did Obama use in-game advertising, but some of his appointed staff are vocal World of Warcraft players. The politicians of Israel have taken note of the effectiveness and popularity of Obama's campaign strategies, and are implementing a bit of online gaming into their own upcoming national elections.Israel's ruling Kadima party will soon release an online game that chides former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. it doesn't seem to be an MMO-type game, but more of a flash-based online game, we're guessing. Yet with the popularity of political campaigns in Second Life and more politicians coming out as dedicated WoW players, will the day ever come where these debates get more heated? Can you imagine watching the future president battling his opponent in the Battlegrounds?
Prototype piezoelectric road could generate power by simply sitting there
By sitting there and getting ran over by motorcars, that is. In an effort to best other power-generating highway options that involve solar panels and enlarged blender arms, Britain's Environmental Transport Association is looking to test a prototype highway that's embedded with piezoelectric crystals. Essentially, the process would work much like the power-generating Tokyo station floors we saw earlier this week; each car that squishes a crystal would contribute a tiny bit of energy, and the collective effect could be enormous. In fact, it's estimated that a single kilometer of roadway could generate 400-kilowatts of energy, or enough to power around eight small cars. And we're no rocket scientists (nor physicists), but we're assuming these whiz kids already made sure these magic crystals weren't friction-generating, too. Right?
MTVNHD's second European invasion detailed
Our ambivalence about its programming hasn't served to slow the progress of MTV International's HD baby, poised to launch in ten new countries by the end of the year. The UK adds MTVNHD on Sky, Israel lights it up on HOT while the Latin American tour kicks off in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Caribbean Islands and Uruguay via DirecTV Panamerica. We already know that's not the end, with France queued up and the network prez noting interest from providers around the world including the Far East. Promising a (not-so) massive 300 hours of original programming commissioned for the next two years, sleep easy knowing repeats of the same old concerts will be available in 1080i no matter where in the world you are.
Zoybar open-source DIY guitars for Steve Vai-types only
If you've ever thought about building a guitar for one second, you know that it's so insanely complicated that it's almost not worth the effort. The Zoybar kits aim to reduce a lot of those complexities -- the components are all open-source, extremely customizable, and modular. They boast seemingly endless options for the guitar (or whatever you choose to build), not to mention the possibilities of the special effects displays. It looks like it's going to be pretty simple to get creative with the kits, but it's a little hard to tell. There's no word on what the components or kits are going to cost, but they claim to be launching in December. Looks like we know what we're getting cousin Yngwie for his birthday! Hit the read link for several insane videos of the extremely wild, ingenious results.
Back-typing keyboard prototype doesn't need a desk, your attitude
We've seen plenty of out-of-the-ordinary, so-called ergonomic keyboards concepts, including some that are configured so that the user types on the "back." This prototype, from Israeli startup Grippity, is especially odd looking, as it appears to be a full-sized QWERTY keyboard with gamepad buttons that's completely handheld -- "no desk needed" as the developer says. We don't have a ton of detail about the apparently patented design, other than the fact that it's not yet in production, but the makers expect it to cost about $1,000 once available. That's an expensive keyboard, but if it frees us up from the necessity of hunching over our desks for 12 hours a day, we just might give it a try. Check out two more photos of the device after the break.
Olympic Battlefields: Four worlds, four dreams
"It is a matter of life and death, a road to game over or to win!"Ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, which kicks off tomorrow in Beijing, homebrew developer Anti-Social Gaming has put out a polemic game titled Olympic Battlefields.Unlike Mario and Sonic's Olympic outing, however, you won't jump into any traditional events to win the gold for their respective franchises. Rather, you'll pick from one of four countries to represent their tacit agendas and "fight terrorism."For instance, if you choose the Tibetans, you'll be tasked with dragging Chinese people out of your country before they "turn militant." If you decide to side with China, you'll need to tap the "revolting Tibetans" and turn them into farmers, otherwise "they'll suicide bomb." Also, for some reason, the Chinese farmers and terrorist Tibetans look like Raiden and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat.If that isn't controversial enough, you have the option of playing as Israelis or Palestinians, too. On the Palestinian side, you'll be charged with converting Jews to Islam by dragging them off the map. If you play as the Israelis, you will have to tap and convert Hamas terrorists into Jews. Again, if you don't neutralize them in time, they blow up!Looks like RanAway and In the Afternoon Sunshine have some serious competition now when it comes to the most offensive homebrew DS game.%Gallery-29236%[Via DCEmu]
Israel's Guardium warbots probably not as lame as their promo video
We've seen a couple armed defense bots make the scene now -- the US military even has a couple deployed in Iraq -- but the promo video for the $600,000 Guardium bots recently commissioned by Israel isn't exactly a fearsome demonstration of next-gen force. Not only do the rendered old-school CRT displays offer warnings like INTRUDER NONCOMPLIANT, all the bot seems to be able to do is sneeze out of a cloud of white smoke. Terrifying. Maybe these things play better at defense contractor conventions, but something tells us that an actual angry dog might be a little more effective. Check the whole video below.[Via Danger Room]
MGM HD headed to Israel's YES
Israel's leading DTH satellite provider (YES) has decided to give subscribers yearning for HD one more reason to choose it over the competition by inking a deal that will bring MGM HD to its lineup. Originally launched over in Poland, the channel is already available in Israel in SD, but it'll be making its HD debut soon enough as it begins simulcasting with the more pixelated version. Interestingly, there's no word of any other Israeli provider picking the HD flavor up, but Bruce Tuchman, MGM Networks' executive VP has stated that the company plans to "continue to aggressively expand its HD presence internationally."
iTunes makes "that music from the MacBook Air commercial" available
If you, like many other Apple (and non-Apple) customers has fallen in love with the new MacBook Air commercial, you can now easily find its "I'm a New Soul" song in iTunes. Israeli musician Yael Naim sings this hauntingly beautiful song, and because we love you guys, here's the entire song and original video courtesy of YouTube. "I'm a new soul. I came to this strange world hoping, I could learn a bit 'bout how to give and take." Sadly, the fish probably dies. Don't throw goldfish into natural lakes, guys.
Israel developing autonomous "digital general": run, John, run
Israel is reportedly developing a sophisticated piece of software meant to help troops make quick decisions during battle and, under the right conditions, autonomously manipulate the nation's defense systems. First reported in Defense News (subscription required), the unnamed system would primarily be used for tactical decisions during periods of heavy bombardment, although in a worst-case scenario, the complex algorithm would supposedly be capable of taking over total military control. Yes, we know what you're thinking, but don't worry: Israeli officials have already sworn up and down that "there's no way we're letting this thing go Terminator on us -- no freakin' way." [Via Danger Room]
Nissan, Renault and Better Place team for electric cars, charging points in Israel
While there are many rational and irrational reasons for the delays we've seen in production of a mass-market and massively adopted electric car, most of the major issues seem to be addressed by this new initiative going down in Israel. One of the primary problems with electric cars is refilling, and that's going to be nicely addressed by entrepreneur Shai Agassi's Project Better Place, which will build a charging network of 500,000 plug-in points across the country. Other issues were a bit more easily addressed: since Israel is a small country, the limited range of electric cars isn't as much of an issue, and the government subsidies should make prices competitive -- with the eventual cost of ownership significantly less than gas cars to sweeten the deal even further. Nissan and Renault plan to built the cars, naturally, and hope to port the concepts into other vehicles in other countries in the near future. The plan is to launch the first cars in Israel around 2011.
