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Douglas Engelbart, thank you for your great mind
Douglas Engelbart died on July 2 at age 88. If that name doesn't ring a bell, then look at your computer mouse and give thanks to this World War II radar technician who came up with the idea in the 1960s. Engelbart also influenced computer use in other ways, such as working on the use of multiple windows, network computing technologies. In addition, his lab helped develop ARPANet, which was the government network that predated the Internet. Engelbart had a long history in electronics, electrical engineering, innovation and design. He had a burning desire to boost "our collective capability to solve important problems intelligently, for which he coined the term Collective IQ," as noted through his web site. He holds 21 patents in his name; some shared with associates. Multiple sources cite that Engelbert's work and thought processes on computing, as it relates to human cognition, was significantly influenced at the young age of 20. While in the Philippines in 1945, he read an article in "The Atlantic" by Dr. Vannevar Bush, "As We May Think." The New York Times notes that Bush "described a universal information retrieval system called Memex. The idea stuck with Engelbart, and he made it his life's work." John Markoff of The New York Times writes that "It was his great insight that progress in science and engineering could be greatly accelerated if researchers, working in small groups, shared computing power. He called the approach "bootstrapping." According to the Associated Press, SRI International CEO Curtis Carlson said "Engelbart brought tremendous value to society." Engelbart worked at SRI from 1957 to 1977, when it was called the Standford Research Institute. Carlson further states that "Doug's legacy is immense. Anyone in the world who uses a mouse or enjoys the productive benefits of a personal computer is indebted to him." CNN reports that Engelbart's first mouse prototype was a simple wooden block with wheels and a tiny red button, as shown above. His mouse invention was patented in 1970, but that patent passed into the public domain in 1987. As you know, it was Apple that initially made the use of a computer mouse commonplace. Engelbart won what is known as the "Oscar for Inventors" in 1997. This $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize is awarded to outstanding inventors who have developed a patented product or process that is of significant value to society. The Associated Press also states that in 2000, President Bill Clinton bestowed Engelbart with the National Medal of Technology "for creating the foundations of personal computing." A testament to his innovations is Engelbart's 1968 demo of his mouse and video teleconferencing system to the Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco. He gave the demo with a homemade modem, with his staff connected through his laboratory's infant online system. Engelbart is survived by Karen Engelbart, his wife; his four children, and nine grandchildren. His work lives on through the The Doug Engelbart Institute, which was co-founded by and is under the leadership of his daughter, Christina Engelbart.
Computing UI visionary Douglas Engelbart passes away at age 88
The computing world lost one of its great minds and true pioneers yesterday. Douglas Engelbart passed away at age 88, just over a half-century after he joined the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) -- the place where much of his ground-breaking computing research would take place. Among his (and his research team's) many inventions made at SRI are the mouse, bitmapped screens, hypertext, networked computers and elements of a modern, windowed GUI. Should you be among those unfamiliar with his work, we've included a video of his epic and appropriately named "Mother of All Demos" that he gave in 1968 to introduce many of his computational contributions to the world. Tip of the cap, Mr. Engelbart. You will be missed, but assuredly not forgotten.
MSI's MouseBook is a laptop whose trackpad doubles as a standalone mouse
The problem with laptop trackpads: they're usually not very good. But would turning the touchpad into a mouse solve the problem? Perhaps. That's what MSI seems to be attempting with its MouseBook concept. In essence, it's a laptop with a trackpad that can pop out and then be used as a standalone mouse. As you can see in the photo above, there's a release switch for removing the pad. Once it's out, you can move it across your desk as you would a mouse, as opposed to just using it as an external trackpad. It connects over Bluetooth and, as you'd expect, it recharges when it's inside the laptop. What we find most intriguing, perhaps, is the fact that when you remove the trackpad, a flat surface rises up to fill the space so that you're not left with a gaping hole in your palm rest. Since this is just an experiment at this point, MSI can't say if it will ever make its way into a real product. If you're curious, though, we've got a walkthrough video after the break, showing everything except, uh, how it works -- MSI still doesn't have a fully functioning unit to show off.%Gallery-190243%
ASUS launches VivoMouse, a wireless optical mouse with a multi-touch trackpad (video)
ASUS was rather cryptic about this little peripheral with its "It'll move you" teaser, but now we get it. Dubbed the VivoMouse, ASUS claims this to be the world's first mouse-and-touchpad hybrid, and it's also wireless. One bonus feature here is that you can use it as a handheld remote with thumb control -- presumably the thumb stays on that circular trackpad with ASUS' iconic spin finish. We'll know more once we get our hands on this optical mouse in a moment, so keep an eye out for an update here. Update: Hands-on gallery added below, and there's also a demo video after the break. The VivoMouse is actually slimmer than we expected, and when held in air, you can scroll pages by simply stroking along the lower edge of the circular trackpad. Other usual Windows 8 gestures are supported, including pinch-to-zoom, rotate, start menu toggle and sidebar toggle. The LED underneath the device uses blue light for better tracking as well. It's a pretty slick device, but hopefully it won't be too pricey, either. %Gallery-190090%
The Daily Roundup for 05.23.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft's Sculpt Mobile Mouse and Sculpt Comfort Mouse have built-in Start buttons, arrive in the coming weeks
File this under "things we could have sworn already existed." Microsoft just announced two mice, the Sculpt Mobile Mouse and Sculpt Comfort Mouse, and believe it or not, this marks the first time Redmond has made a pointing device with a hotkey for the Windows 8 Start screen. In addition to bringing up the Start Menu, you can use it return to the desktop, all without having to hit the keyboard. While the Mobile Mouse has just the Start key and a scroll wheel, though, the bigger Comfort Mouse takes things a step further: the button there doubles as a capacitive surface you can swipe to toggle through open programs in Windows 8. If you swipe that strip the other way, you can also bring up a list of open applications running along the left-hand side of the screen. Note: the Comfort Mouse's Start button is located on the left, meaning it was clearly designed for righties. Or, you know, someone with a strong left pinky. Some other differences: the Mobile Mouse requires a dongle, whereas the Comfort uses Bluetooth. Oh, and the Comfort has a more ergonomic shape, too, but you probably gathered that just by glancing at the name. Expect the Mobile version to go on sale first -- it'll hit shelves later this month for $30. The Comfort model will arrive in June, with a higher MSRP of $40. In the meantime, we've got some hands-on photos (heh) for you to check out.%Gallery-188349%
Jack Lumber now available on Steam
Jack Lumber is an excellent game that arrived on iOS last year. It's reminiscient of Fruit Ninja, in that you drag your finger around the screen to chop through wood, though I think it's an improvement on Halfbrick's formula -- it's got a more complex meta game, and the mechanic is a little deeper as well (the action slows down when your finger touches the screen, allowing for different types of cuts and slashes). Jack Lumber is still available on iOS, but just in case you'd rather use a mouse than your finger, the game has just arrived on Steam as well. The Steam version will work on your Mac, or on PC or Linux as well, and it's SteamPlay-enabled, so if you buy for one platform you own them all. Currently, the game is on sale for just $5.02, and while there's no new content, the game has been re-tweaked to work with a mouse (though it will also work with a stylus if you'd rather do that). Jack Lumber is a great title, so definitely grab it on Steam if you're interested in that, or just give it a look on iOS if you didn't before. Update: I was wrong -- the game does have a new "Infinitree" mode to play. So go enjoy that!
Iron Man mouse fuels your hot-rod red obsession, is all about the next mission
Whether you're looking to instill fear in the hearts of enemies at LAN, or just want to edit spreadsheets in style, this Iron Man mouse will do everything a normal mouse can... just cooler. To capitalize on hype for the third installment of the superhero film franchise, Japanese company e-blue (aka E-3LUE) has released this gold and hot-rod red peripheral with Tony Stark's blessing (read: under official Marvel license). Two AAA batteries power the wireless mouse (some say an Arc reactor was too expensive, and fictional), which has a resolution of 1000 dpi and, most importantly, light-up eyes. For 699 Chinese yuan (roughly $113), you also get a "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart" presentation case to show it off in. We're not sure whether e-blue's mouse will make it over to the States, but instead of worrying about that, check out the Iron Man 3 trailer below to inject some excitement into Monday morning. Can we have a War Machine version now, please? [Image Credit: PCPOP]
What are your gaming peripherals?
Recently Frostheim AKA Brian Wood recommended peripherals for use with playing WoW over on Warcraft Hunters Union. He detailed which mouse, keyboard and headset he uses and why. He eschews anything wireless as a fraction of a delay can mean life or death in certain in-game situations. Personally, I agree with him. Though I dislike the inconvenience of being wired to my computer, I also have a non-wireless mouse, keyboard, and headset -- all of mine Logitech. I'd like to upgrade to trying out Steelseries or Razer, but my pocketbook hasn't allowed for that. I can say that my peripherals have taken a beating over the years and are still working fine, if a bit disheveled. I also concur with Frostheim's opinion that gaming keyboards should be lit, for ease in seeing the keys in low light. If you tend to use keyboards until they fall apart like I do, illuminated keyboards have the added benefit of not having the letters rub off. My daughter's hand-me-down keyboard is missing several letters, and she isn't a touch typist (yet). I guess it's time we upgraded her. How about you? What are your gaming peripherals? Can you recommend them or are you just slumming it until you can afford something better?
The Daily Grind: Do you like game-branded peripherals?
One of the unusual perks of being a game journalist is that you acquire a set of branded and unique USB flash drives. Aside from the pictured Final Fantasy XIV drive (which is far and away the strangest flash drive I've ever seen), I also have a World of Tanks die-cast USB drive that I'm quite fond of. Of course, it no longer contains any data even remotely related to World of Tanks, which makes all of that branding on the outside a lie. For this reason I'm always a bit iffy on using peripherals that have prominent branding for specific games. I'd feel pretty ridiculous if I were using a World of Warcraft-branded mouse at the moment when I'm not playing the game, for instance. But what about you? Do you like game-branded peripherals, or do you prefer that your computer accessories are neutral and perhaps even austere? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Spicebox's Mauz aims to make your iPhone an all-in-one controller
One of the weirdest devices I've seen so far here at Macworld is Spicebox's Mauz controller. The company recently started a Kickstarter for the project (their second, after a case that tracks your opening of multiple beers called the Intoxicase), but even though that campaign hasn't yet come anywhere close to the US$150,000 goal, the unit is already being prototyped and built by the company. It works like this: The company has produced a little box (only a prototype so far, though Spicebox told me that the circuits inside have been finalized and are headed to production already) that will plug into your iPhone's 30-pin adapter. I didn't see a Lightning version, but presumably it's being worked on as well. Once that unit is plugged in, it connects via WiFi to a driver running on your Mac, which Spicebox is right in the middle of developing. The unit on your iPhone will use the WiFi connection to send information about movement bidirectionally, so not only can your phone tell your computer how it wants to move the mouse or keyboard, but the computer can tell the mouse, for example, what app has gained focus, or what kind of gestures should become available on the phone. There are four different ways the phone sends control information, then. The first is just through the touchscreen itself -- as you can see above, the default look of the phone imitates two mouse buttons and a wheel, and those work just fine when you tap them. On the bottom of the plug-in accessory, there's also a (low-power, says Spicebox) mouse laser, so the device can tell when you move it around on a mousepad surface. So at the very minimum, your phone can work as a tabletop mouse when the accessory is plugged in. But of course that's not all. The little accessory also hooks into the iPhone to grab gyroscope and accelerometer movement, so the developers are working on allowing you to do Wii remote-style movement, where you can move the iPhone around in real space to push or pull around elements on your computer's screen. This function wasn't working when I saw it here in the booth at Macworld, but its makers say development is still well underway and they hope to have it up and running soon. Finally, there's one more method of control with the Mauz. That mode uses the iPhone's front-facing camera (while it's sitting face up on a flat surface) to read live video of your hand passing by, and attempts to turn that into 2D movement (so, for example, you'd swipe your hand in front of the iPhone to spin a Google Earth globe). Spicebox even wants to try and track 3D movement (so you'd move your hand toward or away from the phone as it's lying down to push things in or out of the screen). That function was at least working on the show floor, but not in a usable way: The Spicebox guys were waving their hands back and forth above the prototype phone, with very little movement to see on the screen. So there's a lot of work yet to be done. Spicebox says the unit's inner electronics are finalized, but the casing outside of the device is still being prototyped and developed. The software is still a work in progress as well. Spicebox says the beta for the device should hopefully start sometime in April, and then they're hoping to have everything finalized and ready to go later on this year. I was told the company is aiming for a price "in the $60 range, and I believe we'll get there," said one of the company's founders, Gilad Meiri. Mauz is definitely an interesting idea. I have my doubts about how exactly the implementation will work, and while the company has some big plans, they're still very much in the prototype stage, especially in the software department. But I won't discourage anyone from dreaming big: If Spicebox can iron out the hardware and get the software to do what they want it to do easily and responsively, the Mauz accessory could be very useful indeed.
Genius Gila gaming mouse hands-on
What does it feel like holding a CES Design and Innovation nominee in your hand? If Genius is any indication, it feels an awful lot like a $100 mouse. A pretty nice $100 mouse, mind you -- one with all sorts of flashing lights and rubber-injected sides. The Gila GX Gaming Series fits nicely in the hand, as one might expect from a peripheral designed for extended MMO marathons. It's also got a nice weight to it already, but if that's not enough, that's no problem: there's a trap door in the bottom that opens up. Inside, you can slot a tray of watch battery-sized weights, which pop in and out to adjust the thing to a suitable level, up to 30 grams. Also cool is the DPI gauge on top of the mouse, to let you know where you currently stand in the 200 to 8,200 range. There are 12 buttons jammed into the thing, and as you'd imagine, there's button assignment and macro options, so you can set up to 72 keys on the thing. There's also a slew of color options for the various lights on the mouse, in case the glut of buttons aren't showy enough for your gaming needs. Sadly, Genius isn't quite ready to debut the second generation Ring Mouse, but we've been promised a glimpse in the very near future. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Jon Fingas contributed to this report.
Insert Coin: Emukey EK1 runs mouse, keyboard macros purely from hardware (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Software testers don't have it easy these days. While it's been possible for ages to record keyboard and mouse commands as macros, quality assurance teams sometimes can't have any tracking software running -- a real pain when trying to recreate a bug in an online RPG or other input-heavy apps. Emukey's proposed EK1 box could save testers from manual troubleshooting by running those macros from hardware. By taking scripts pushed out from a host Windows PC, the EK1 can run pre-recorded keyboard and mouse instructions on a slave PC without any software interference. The script-based approach makes it easy to reproduce a glitch on other machines by sharing files, and the use of PS/2 peripherals (with USB adapters if needed) prevents lag from skewing the results.
Internet Explorer flaw may let ad firms track mouse input, Microsoft says that will change
Many of us already complain that web ads follow us too closely. You can understand why Internet Explorer users might be nervous, then, when Spider.io claims that the ads are even tracking their mouse movements. A JavaScript hole in Internet Explorer 6 through 10 reportedly lets intruders follow along with the onscreen pointer, regardless of whether or not the browser is the active app. That could easily prove a security risk for anyone using a virtual keyboard, including some tablet owners. Microsoft has confirmed that it's investigating and plans to "adjust this behavior," although it takes issue with Spider.io both focusing on IE and decrying two ad analytics firms that are supposedly exploiting the flaw today. The Redmond team argues that other browsers have "similar capabilities" and that Spider.io has ulterior motives, being an ad analytics firm itself -- it allegedly wants to knock down two competitors that it doesn't think are playing fair. We've asked Spider.io for its reaction and will get back if we're told more. In the meantime, don't be too alarmed when the vulnerability would likely only work with detailed knowledge of the target PC.
Genius to show off Ring Mouse sequel, Windows 8 and gaming peripherals at CES
Good news for those hoping to try on a new ring during their visit to Las Vegas next month: Genius will be showing of the followup to its Ring Mouse peripheral at CES. Not a ton of information on what makes the device different from its predecessor, but the company's promising some hands-on time with it as well as the new GX Gila Gaming Mouse, which offers up a DPI range of 200 to 8,200 and an "Angle Snapping" feature for better cursor precision. The previously announced Touch Mouse 6000 for Windows 8 will also be getting some time to shine at the show.
Razer updates Orochi mouse with new laser, longer battery life
It's nearly vacation time, you've got your second-gen Razer Blade nestled in wrapping paper below the Festivus pole, and all you need is a fancy new mouse to go along with that fancy new gaming laptop. Razer's apparently got you covered in that department as well, refreshing its Orochi wireless gaming mouse just in time for the upcoming holiday. Sporting a new laser with a 6400 dpi 4G sensor, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity (as well as wired support) and 30 hours of advertised battery life on two AAs (double the previous model), the Orochi promises to "take out the competition with deadly accuracy." Here's hoping Razer's not talking about beating your opponents to death with the mouse, and just means that figuratively. The company's already got the new Orochi up for sale on its website for $69.99 / €69.99, which we'd suggest heading to sooner than later should you want to beat the holiday madness.
Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays
Ever since Batman popularized the matte finish with his snazzy Batsuit, product designers have gone Bat-crazy over the finish choice. Today, Mad Catz pushes back on that new normal, re-introducing its R.A.T. line of gaming mice in three new, glossy colors: white, red, and (yes, another) black. That includes the entire R.A.T. line, from the R.A.T.3 to the M.M.O.7 and everything in between. And those new colors are already available from Mad Catz, anxiously awaiting wrapped boxes and new computers equipped with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Oh the sectoids you'll kill!
Microsoft Touch Mouse gets promised Windows 8 support, works like a Charm
Microsoft vowed that its Touch Mouse would get Windows 8 support in time for the software's big release day, and it's being very true to its word by posting the relevant update with less than a week to go. Mouse and Keyboard Center 2.0 saves time for those not graced with a touchscreen by introducing multi-touch swipes that bring up Windows 8's Charm bar, switch between active apps and invoke Semantic Zoom. Will the Touch Mouse update trick you into thinking you have a Surface? No, but it's certainly much easier on the wallet.
IRL: Nuu SoftKey, MacBook Air and Thermaltake's eSports Cyclone Edition gaming mouse
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Welcome back! This week in real-life adventures with gadgetry, Sharif recommends an $80 gaming mouse and Dan pleads with you all not to buy a certain keyboard case for the iPad. As for Philip, he just purchased his first Apple product after years of buying Windows laptops and Zune players, which means he's got a little explaining to do.
Ask Engadget: Should I replace my mouse with a graphics tablet?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Whee!, which we guess probably isn't their real name, who is looking for a way to ditch their mouse. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm a web developer, and my typical day involves a lot of moving and clicking when testing stuff in the browser. I've been thinking about ditching my mouse, because when using it for long hours it gets very uncomfortable. As such, I'm eyeing up a Wacom tablet and using the pen input to mouse around -- but do you think it's a good idea? Thanks in advance!" Our questioner wants to solve their wrist-pain woes, and it certainly seems like a reasonable enough idea to us. Plenty of tablets come with a mouse mode, so it's just down to the limits of your budget. If you're just dipping your toes into the water, you can pick up a Genius device for around $60. Wacom's Bamboo tablets occupy the mid-range, setting you back $80 for a 5.8-inch model, all the way up to $200 for the 8.5-incher. If you're serious about making the change, then Wacom's Intuos5 hardware is a top-range option, with the 6.2-inch version starting at $200, running all the way to $800 for the 18-inch unit, or even spending big on one of the company's Cintiq units. We've also been wondering if a touchscreen Ultrabook might be a better idea, letting your fingers do the walking to spare your aching forearms. That said, perhaps the wider Engadget community has an even better tip, so if you've already made that leap, why not share your knowledge in the comments below?
