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This week only, London's Tower Bridge is the world's largest Bluetooth device
While wireless headset manufacturers battle one another to shrink their wares until they completely disappear into your ear canal, organizers of the Switched-On London lighting festival (not named, unfortunately, after the excellent column by NPD's Ross Rubin) have taken the opposite tack: for one week in February, they've transformed the famous Tower Bridge into the world's largest Bluetooth device (narrowly edging out the PS3). Using multi-colored lights strung across the length of the upper walkway, technicians have created a gigantic interactive exhibit wherein sensors located at either end detect travelers' Bluetooth-enabled gadgets (cellphones, laptops, PDA's, etc.) and then track their progress in pseudo-real-time as they move across the bridge. Visually, the movement is represented by a uniquely-colored pixel appearing at more-or-less the same spot on the walkway as the device; to a faraway observer, it would look like this single "pixel" was making the journey from one end to the other. In order to ensure device anonymity, the Bluetooth sensors only send a derivative of each device's MAC address to the bridge's main controller, so consider this a Bluesnarfing safe-zone. If you're in the area and want to check this out -- or love Bluetooth enough to buy a plane ticket (any BT fanboys out there?) -- you'd better hurry, as the project ends and the bridge goes dark tomorrow.[Via Hack-A-Day]
Perplex City: Receda Cube unearthed, Season 2 planned
Amateur archaeologist Andy Darley has discovered the Receda Cube, ending the first season of alternate reality game Perplex City and earning a hefty $200,000 reward (before taxes). Darley was joined by more than 50,000 other registered players, spread throughout 92 countries, on the two-year hunt. The cube was unearthed in Wakerley Great Wood, England, about 110 miles north of London.Perplex City's first season was "played" using a deck of cards (collectible in packs) that featured various types of puzzles, from simple trivia to optical illusions; to an answer masked with heat-sensitive ink. Solutions often pointed players to further clues posted on websites, written in books, recorded in voicemails, and held by real-world individuals. Creator Mind Candy has confirmed that plans for a second season are underway.
Cops ignore need for help, play PSP instead
Thirteen people were killed in violent storms through England, and two police officers certainly didn't help. "They were oblivious to everything else," the photo taker notes. These officers were completely entranced by the PSP. The Metropolitan Police said: "The use of the games console was inappropriate and unprofessional. Senior officers are dealing with the matter."[Via digg]
EA exec on display at Game On London
EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon will be featured in a special Q&A session at the Game On exhibition in the Science Museum in South Kensington, London next Wednesday night. The event is open to the public, but space is limited (reservations can be made via email). Beer and soda will be provided.Gordon began his career with EA in the marketing department back in 1982, the year Trip Hawkins established the now dominant company. Gordon also holds a faculty chair at USC's Interactive Media Division program, which EA has co-funded.
Outdoor Wii demo kiosks hit London
Nintendo of Europe must trust the people of London very much to have placed Wii demo kiosks outside for all to see and use. We can't help but feel if this happened in, say, Los Angeles or New York (or even our native Philadelphia) that the poor Nintendo employee out there showing the kiosk off to everyone would have been violently attacked and the attacker would have made off like a bandit in the night with the kiosk.The demo unit consisted of just about the same set-up as the ones most have seen in GameStop and EB: Wii kiosk Wii console Samsung TV 2 Wiimotes Wii Sports [Via Joystiq]
Outdoor Wii-osks in London
The people of London must be really trustworthy, considering they were treated to outdoor Wii-osks yesterday. Any self-respecting American in a metropolitan city would have asked to demo the unit, taken the Wii-mote, cracked the marketing flack over the head and run off with the system. But alas, these are not Americans. Reader Limpit writes, "The unit itself consisted of a Wii, nice Samsung HDTV, Wii Sports, 2 Wii-remotes, and 2 guys in some very funky looking white Wii puffer-jackets. They seemed quite happy, and so did the little crowd of people who had gathered to witness the marvel that is Wii Sports." Limpit correctly goes on to say this display is part of Nintendo's massive marketing machine storming across the globe. Any readers see these outdoor kiosks in your neck of this third rock from the sun? [Thanks Limpit]
Keane to play London Apple Store on Tuesday
This Tuesday, London's newly refurbished Regent Street Apple Store will host Keane playing a stripped-down acoustic set for Apple Store customers. This is the first concert in a series of "Live From London" events hosted in the Apple Store. The show, which begins at 9PM, will be broadcast around the world to every Apple Store according to SoundGenerator.com Tickets are limited. Only 350 people will attend. The Times newspaper has 50 pair of those tickets to give away to competition winners and an event video should hit iTunes around January.
Wiis sold out across the UK on day one
Wiimania has hit the United Kingdom in full force, with the console selling out on its first day of sales -- 50,000 units in 12 hours. However, many of the pre-orders could not be fulfilled as there were predictable shortages, with some opting to take refunds instead of waiting until January for subsequent shipments. Predictably, many of the Wiis ended up on eBay, and according to the BBC, have hit high closing bids of £500 (nearly $1000), compared to the retail price of £180 ($350). Still, as seen in Wii UK's YouTube vid (see continued) buyers seemed to be in high spirits at the Wii main launch event at the Oxford Street HMV retailer in London, where crowds were regaled as former English footballer Ian Wright (left) took on boxing champion Ricky Hatton (right) in a quick bout at Wii Boxing. (Wright was victorious, if you must know). Let's just hope that our British friends are a little more dignified when it comes to waiting for consumer electronics than we are.[Via HipHopSix]Read - The Times (photo courtesy)Read - BBCRead - Reuters
200 miles later, ambulance crew learns to be skeptical of GPS
As much as we like playing with GPS devices and using them on the road, there's no substitute for good ol' fashioned maps (not to mention, um, common sense) for navigating unfamiliar territory. An ambulance crew attempting to transfer a patient from a hospital from London (King George Hospital) to another in Brentwood -- a mere 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) to the northeast -- ended up blindly following their nav unit, which somehow guided them 200 miles to the northwest, all the way to the outskirts of Manchester. Eight hours after setting out on their journey, the ambulance finally made it to the appropriate destination (Mascalls Park Hospital) -- luckily for them, according to United Press International, the "patient's health was not jeopardized" and "the drivers have been told to study their geography and learn to think for themselves." What a novel concept.[Via UPI, thanks Dan]
Moritz Waldemeyer crafts LED-based Pong / roulette tables
We've always said, the more Pong the better, so we're the last folks you'll find knocking Moritz Waldemeyer for upping the ante (quite literally) on the previous iterations. Utilizing a fancy Corian-based table, the savvy designer incorporated a series of "LEDs and touchpad sensors" into the otherwise plainly-styled piece of furniture in order to provide a fresh rendition of a heralded classic. Pushing the technology a bit further, he also crafted a LED-based roulette table, which sports an electroluminescent map and an overhead lamp that work in conjunction to provide the rolling ball action casino dwellers know and love. While there's no official word on when these will land in Harrah's (or ultra-mod game rooms), both designs were recently showcased at the Rabih Hage Gallery in London, and we're told "white 28" was the hot ticket on table number two (pictured after the jump).[Via Techie Diva]
Eight London cops to get head-mounted video cameras
Eight of London's finest in the Metropolitan Police in Haringey (North London) have been selected to be the bearers of the first law enforcement head-mounted video cameras in the UK. The AA battery-sized cams, which are worn on a headset and sit just above the left ear, cost £1,800 ($3,410) each and record up to 12 hours of video on a waist-worn media player that resembles, for lack of a better parallel, an Archos player. We hope that these officers are trained in the ways of YouTube though -- police-sanctioned recording of hooligan debauchery immortalized on the internet surely would make for a great deterrent, no? Actually, no, scratch that, we've all seen "Cops."[Via The Raw Feed]Read - Press AssociationRead - BBCRead - eGov monitor
Undersound, a way to trade music on the London Underground
Just in case waiting for a train in the London Underground while listening to your iPod has already become passé, a group of techie art types are putting together a new musical installation in the Tube network based on Bluetooth, which they call "Undersound." From the group's site: "In the same way that Londoners leave and retrieve newspapers as a kind of common good, so too will they with music. Unlike newspapers though, which are of unknown origin, each track in Undersound will have a birth-place, giving added meaning." The idea for Undersound is that people can transfer songs via Bluetooth (using public domain, non-copyrighted, royalty-free or creative commons-friendly music, of course) to a "transfer point" at a particular station. Then others can come along with their own mobile phones and pick up some new tunes as well, leaving a trail of metadata behind them, begging to be analyzed -- in a good way. We hope. We're not sure if there's going to be a huge difference from the tracks dropped off at Waterloo Station versus the ones at King's Cross, but we'll find out once the researchers get their gear up and running. [Via BoingBoing]Update (Oct. 24): We just got an email from Peter MacLennan, a spokesperson for the Transport for London office saying: "We have no plans to introduce this service on the Tube and have not received any approach from the organisation who are indicating that this will be reality."
New research car will watch you while you drive
We're not sure if we like the idea of our car watching us as we drive, but we'll all in favor of any tech that'll make us safer. This past week at the Intelligent Transportation Systems exhibition in London, a new set of cameras mounted on the dashboard in a prototype vehicle will make sure that a driver's attention is focused on the road. According to MotorAuthority, the new cameras will be trained on the driver's eyes and will flash a warning light and will sound an alarm if it finds that the driver's eyes aren't staring at the right places at the right times. Furthermore, as New Scientist reports, these new sensors -- developed by researchers at University of Southampton in the UK-- are also able to determine what other cars and objects around the car are doing, all of which could lead to safer road design and a more thorough understanding of driving behavior.Read - MotorAuthorityRead - New Scientist
Homebrew map developer does London
Not long ago, we told you about a nifty homebrew application that brought a map of Paris to your DS. Now the developer brings you a map of the London underground as well, with the same stylus functionality that allows for easy navigation. If you're planning to travel in London, you can use this handy tool to help you navigate the labyrinthine transportation system. For travelers, Christophe Andreani is a homebrew artist worth keeping an eye on. There are a few other maps on his site, and likely more to come. We'll keep you updated!
BBC HD increasing amount of high-def programming
BBC is smack-dab in the middle of the HDTV trails over in London but that isn't stopping them from adding to their high-def lineup. The plan is to simulcast recently launched programs such as Robin Hood, The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, and Torchwood along with the SD broadcast. The station is adding additional HD programming later in the year as well but we won't run down the entire long list which should suffice to say there is a bunch of new HD shows coming. Apparently the trial is going well otherwise we don't think the BBC would be dropping more cash for additional programming.
PSP gamer beaten up on train, APB for DS fanboys declared
Ya know, there comes a time when these "fanboy wars" go too far. And I think this incident is a perfect example."A 22-year administrative assistant, who is originally from Hong Kong, was playing his PlayStation Portable when he was surrounded by a group of four or five youths. One of them snatched the games machine from his hand, but when he tried to get it back the whole gang jumped in and began punching him in the face and body. The train pulled into Hornsey station and the youths got off, but the victim bravely followed and grabbed hold of one of them. He was then set upon again, punched repeatedly in the head and knocked unconscious. The gang fled leaving the man laid out on the platform, before other passengers came to his aid. He was taken to hospital for treatment but released later that day."This is most definitely the work of those vile and evil DS fanboys! Even though the guy ended up getting his butt kicked, you have to give him credit for not going down without a fight, though.In all seriousness, though, this is a despicable act, and I really hope the police find these punks. If reading about this incident pissed you off like it did me, this video may make you feel better.
Philips Simplicity Event 2006 shows off conceptual shiny toys
Philips is currently demoing various concept products at its Simplicity Event 2006 expo this week in London, some of which may or may not see the light of day. Among our favorites that we've spotted are the new Drag Draw (pictured above), a new light-emitting pen that will let you make crazy illustrations on any surface, so you can unleash that fantasy of scribbling up your bedroom wall -- without doing any permanent damage. Our next favorite is the Versa Tiles (pictured on next page), a series of moveable hexagonal tiles to lay down on a floor that creates a game that is basically Dance Dance Revolution meets Simon. Finally, to round out the trio are a pair of spherical weights (also pictured after the break) that glow pink and include athletic sensors that monitors your workout progress. No word on if we'll ever actually see any of these, but if Philips wanted to oblige us, we'd be happy to take on challengers for Versa Tiles at the next Engadget reader meetup.[Photos courtesy of GadgetCentre]
Sony Ericsson to open flagship store in London
Looks like Sony Ericsson is caving to the peer pressure to open a flagship retail location where eager shoppers can get brainwas... er, immersed by the brand. Announced in conjunction with the joint venture's 5th anniversary, the store will find its way onto London's Kensington High Street some time in November, offering 7,300 square feet of retail space devoted to Sony Ericsson goodies on the main floor and meeting areas (for those high rollers) in the lower level. Carrier signups will be offered -- though presumably not required -- in-store in conjunction with Carphone Warehouse, which will also be tasked with managing the store's day-to-day operations. No word on whether other flagship facilities will be popping up around the globe, but we'd pay good money to see a good, old-fashioned brawl between Sony Ericsson and Nokia on Finnish turf.
Gangs of London giving away a real diamond
The UK branch of Sony seems to have a lot of fun. This unique promotion for Gangs of London encourages you to find clues hidden in the real world to find a real diamond worth £10,000! This has the potential to be a heck of a lot cooler than the actual game itself. You're going to have to go to Nick the Diamond's website to register and start the hunt. I wish I could play too!
Game On returns to the UK, London's Science Museum
Sure, Europe has to wait for a lot of things, but one thing they did get first was the Game On exhibition. Game On is a touring video game exhibition started by London's Barbican Art Gallery in 2002. Since then, it's been all over Europe, Israel, Chicago (twice), San Jose, most recently Seattle, and is now returning home to the UK where it will run at London's Science Museum from October 21st to February 25th, err, rather 21 October to 25 February.Your £8.50 adult admission nets you access to a lineup of consoles, dating back to the PDP-1 (the Space War machine), drawings by Shigeru Miyamoto, and hundreds of games. Anyone hit up this show previously and care to offer a recommendation to your fellow gamers? [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]Read - Video game exhibition announced (BBC)Read - London Science Museum's Game On infoRead - Game On tour page
