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Nyko is ready to give your PS4 controller the battery life it deserves
Although the PlayStation 4 is a fine gaming console, it has a definite Achilles' heel -- the very, very short battery life of the bundled DualShock 4 controller. It's a good thing, then, that Nyko has at last shipped the PowerPak add-on that it promised back in January. Shelling out $20 gives you a 1,000mAh lithium-ion battery that roughly doubles the longevity of Sony's official gamepad. That's not saying much when the DualShock normally gets just a few hours of play time per charge, but the extra capacity should be good enough to handle a marathon Destiny session.
MakerBot 3D printers now available in a dozen Home Depot stores
The Home Depot's core business revolves around helping you craft things, so it stands to reason that you'd eventually find 3D printers there, doesn't it? Sure enough, that's what's happening today. You can now buy MakerBot's Replicator line at both the retailer's online store as well as a dozen brick-and-mortar locations spread across California, the greater Chicago area and New York City. In addition to hosting elaborate kiosks like the one you see here, shops will have staff on hand to both demonstrate 3D printing and give you keepsakes in hopes of clinching a sale down the road. It's tough to know if the Home Depot's gamble will pay off -- at last check, most people don't expect to find printers sitting alongside doorknobs and drill sets. If nothing else, it shows that the technology has a market outside of office supply stores and other places you might associate with run-of-the-mill 2D printing.
Printeer is the 3D printer your kids can use
There's no denying that 3D printers are cool. However, they're not exactly easy to use for kids -- not unless Junior has a knack for modelling software, anyway. If Mission Street Manufacturing's Printeer hits its crowdfunding goal, though, children will have a 3D printer they can truly call their own. All you need to create a plastic masterpiece with Printeer is an iPad and a basic ability to draw. There's no scary-looking CAD programs or other intermediary tools. The machinery itself is also friendly to young creators, with both an easily removable build platform and a transparent shell that shows how all the parts work together. The company hopes that schools will use it to teach the basics of design and engineering to kids who might otherwise wait years to get started.
Formlabs' second-gen pro 3D printer is 50 percent faster
Formlabs' Form 1 was a top dog among 3D printers when it first shipped, but others have stepped up their game in the past year. It's about time for an upgrade, don't you think? Appropriately, the company has just unveiled the Form 1+, a big improvement to its now-familiar design. The new edition of Formlabs' pro-grade machine is all about raw performance -- a more powerful laser lets it print up to 50 percent faster, and its control system produces finer, smoother sculptures. It should be more reliable, too, thanks to an improved resin tank that better preserves your material.
Apple's new Lightning spec allows for smarter, better-sounding headphones
When Apple first unveiled its Lightning connector, there was a debate about whether or not it was needed at all: what can this proprietary tech do that standard micro-USB can't? Well, it looks like we're going to find out soon. Sources for 9to5 Mac understand that Apple has published a new specification that lets headphone makers use an iOS device's Lightning port for audio instead of the normal 3.5mm jack. On a basic level, this allows headsets to launch apps and carry more than just the usual playback controls. However, there's reportedly an advanced spec that permits a lot more -- headphones could include digital-to-analog converters and other processing that overrides what's in the device. If you're not happy with the fidelity of the built-in hardware, a new pair of cans could provide an upgrade.
Razer Junglecat gives your iPhone a slide-out gamepad
A new peripheral from Razer designed for Apple's iPhone 5 and 5S models will give customers a slide-out gamepad, complete with triggers, face buttons and a D-pad. The Junglecat - we assume so named because it folds in on itself and helps you play video games ... you know, like a cat - already works with dozens of iOS games, and users can store up to 20 personalized profiles that adjust sensitivity and button mappings. The Junglecat clamps around your iPhone 5 or 5S and plugs into the smartphone's Lightning port. From there, you can slide the gamepad down when playing games, or leave it tucked behind the phone when not in use. If you remember the ill-fated Xperia Play or the PSP Go, it's sort of like that. The Junglecat is set to make its debut in July, and will cost $100. You can sign up to be notified when orders are live via the Razer store. [Image: Razer]
Nintendo reveals GameCube controller adapter for Smash Bros. Wii U
An officially licensed adapter will allow Super Smash Bros. Melee veterans to play the upcoming Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. with GameCube controllers, Nintendo announced today. The peripheral allows players to connect up to four GameCube controllers to the Wii U via a USB dongle. Nintendo has not announced whether WaveBird wireless controllers are supported, or if GameCube controller support is planned for other Wii U games. Smash Bros. brawlers have plenty of input options to choose from, including Nintendo's own Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Classic Controllers, and PDP's upcoming Wired Fight Pad. The Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. will launch this winter. [Image: Nintendo]
Surface Pro 3's accessories include a new Type Cover and a 4K-ready dock
A professional tablet like the Surface Pro 3 deserves some equally high-end accessories, don't you think? Microsoft certainly thinks so, as it just introduced some add-ons built with demanding users in mind. To start, it has a new $130 Type Cover keyboard add-on with a much-improved trackpad -- the new design has a 68 percent larger area than the Type Cover 2, and 78 percent less friction. It's better for lap use, too; you can lock in the cover so that it won't wobble around so much while you're typing on your legs.
Microsoft's motion-sensing keyboard lets you skip the touchscreen
As convenient as touchscreens and air gesture controls can be on a PC, it's not very comfortable to keep raising your hands just to handle basic tasks. You might not have to subject your arms to that kind of strain if Microsoft's experimental Type-Hover-Swipe keyboard ever reaches shelves, though. The peripheral hides a grid of infrared motion sensors between the keys, letting you perform hand gestures in a more natural position. While the technology is very low-resolution (there's just 64 pixels of data), it's both fast and precise enough to recognize more advanced commands. Among other tricks, you can mimic a steering wheel with your hands when playing a racing game.
Amazon Fire TV games work with other Bluetooth controllers
Amazon just revealed its $99 Fire TV game and video streaming device today, and unveiled a $40 Bluetooth game pad to go along with it. As it turns out, developers appear to have the option to make their Amazon Fire TV games compatible with other controllers. "I don't have the full data set, if any is the right term. Generally speaking, it's a Bluetooth controller," Mike Frazzini, VP of Amazon Games told Engadget today when asked about the Fire TV's controller support. "And the same thing vice-versa. Third-party controllers can work on Fire TV as well." According to a mandatory configuration file for all Amazon Fire TV game developers listed on Amazon's site, developers must note if the app "supports a game controller, either the Amazon Fire game controller or a Bluetooth game controller from another manufacturer." While Amazon doesn't confirm official Fire TV support with the game pads, other Bluetooth controllers like Nintendo's Wii Remote and Sony's DualShock 4 could feasibly work with some games if developers so choose. Likewise, while the Amazon Fire TV supports up to seven Bluetooth game controllers simultaneously, software development kit documentation notes that "only four of those controllers are assigned to player numbers." This seemingly caps local multiplayer gaming on Amazon Fire TV at four players at a given moment, which may not be an issue since gaming is more or less a "bonus" for the streaming device.
New Kinect for Windows nixes Xbox logo, adds power supply
The second iteration of Kinect for Windows revealed by Microsoft this week features a few changes. While it looks nearly identical to the motion-sensitive camera for Xbox One, its glowing Xbox logo power indicator has been replaced by a simple dot, plus the word "Kinect" is now on the hardware's top panel. Additionally, the second version of Kinect for Windows requires both a hub and separate power supply to operate. The hub includes ports to connect to the sensor, power supply unit and USB 3.0 output to the user's PC. While the power supply will vary by region, it supports voltages that range in 100–240 volts. Microsoft didn't offer a release date for the new version of the PC Kinect hardware. [Image: Microsoft]
The 3rd Generation Drobo: Faster and less expensive
Drobo announced the 3rd generation of its 4-bay namesake device yesterday, and by any indication the newest member of the Drobo family should be quite popular. Sporting a pair of USB 3.0 ports, the Drobo 4-bay starts at just US$349 for the bare box that you can then begin filling with any 3.5" SATA II/III drives that you may have. As before, Drobo's BeyondRAID technology allows you to mix-and-match drives so that you can start off with smaller drives and replace them with higher-capacity drives as you can afford them. The company announced a new feature concurrent with the release of the new array: enhanced support for Apple's Time Machine. Previously, if you connected a Drobo array to your favorite Mac and used it for Time Machine backups, those backups would eventually eat up the entire capacity of the array. Now you can set aside part of the total capacity of the Drobo array to work with Time Machine, freeing up the additional capacity for day-to-day storage. The new Drobo also features a redesigned architecture that provides speeds about three times faster than those available with the previous generation and array rebuild times about four times faster than before. The company also added battery backup as icing on the storage cake, giving the new box more protection from power outages by temporarily storing in-progress transactions until the array powers up again. If you're a current Drobo owner and want to migrate to the new device, the company is offering $50 one of the new units bring the price tag to a very affordable $299. Just pull your drives out of the old Drobo and stick 'em in the new unit to take advantage of the enhancements. That deal will be available through June 9, 2014 on sales made through www.drobostore.com and some authorized resellers. The devices will begin to ship in late April, and we expect to have a full TUAW review of the 3rd generation Drobo soon after.
Big UK retailer lists Chromecast ahead of an official launch
Google's Sundar Pichai said that Chromecast would be available in many more countries this month, and it now appears that this worldwide launch could be close at hand. Engadget reader Martin has noticed that big UK retail chain Currys is already listing the TV media stick, with nary an official announcement in sight. The company says it's out of stock, but there's a plausible £30 ($50) price tag in place. While the entry doesn't give any clues as to when the Chromecast would reach the country, Google has less than two weeks to make good on its word -- we'd reckon that the device arrives sooner rather than later. [Thanks, Martin]
Behold: Valve's updated Steam Controller
Valve offered up a clearer side-by-side image of its updated Steam Controller today. The second iteration of the SteamOS gamepad was revealed in January, and peeled away the center touchscreen in favor of more traditional face buttons. The new buttons consist of a directional pad and standard A, B, X and Y buttons, the latter formerly located around the touchscreen. Valve left the large circular trackpads on the device, but also added a Steam icon button in the center with start and select-like buttons on either side with what appear to be stop and play icons. The Steam Controller was announced alongside SteamOS and Steam Machines in September 2013, and was followed up by a hardware beta program that already excluded the controller's touchscreen. We spent some time with Valve's beta hardware in early January and found the experience lacking on the previous version of the controller with Hotline Miami and Portal in particular. Head past the break for a closer look at the updated controller.
Google buys Android controller manufacturer Green Throttle Games
While the developer closed near the end of 2013, Google confirmed that it just acquired the "parts and labor" as well as two co-founders of Green Throttle Games this week. PandoDaily reported that Green Throttle Games may be an asset for Google in the set-top TV box business. Green Throttle Games is the developer of the Atlas controller and Arena app for Android, which combine to turn any Android device into an HDTV-connected game console. One of the company's founders is Charles Huang, co-creator of the Guitar Hero franchise. There's no confirmation on whether Huang is among the Green Throttle Games employees that are joining Google, though he will retain the rights over the Green Throttle business. [Image: Green Throttle Games]
MakerBot's mammoth Replicator Z18 3D printer goes up for pre-order
If you want some truly heavy-duty 3D printing, you'll be glad to hear that MakerBot's Replicator Z18 is now available for pre-order. Pay $6,499 and you'll get to craft objects up to a lofty 18 inches tall once the printer ships this spring. Should that be a tad overpowered, you'll be just as pleased to know that MakerBot has started shipping the latest generation of its normal-sized Replicator for a more reasonable $2,899. Both devices offer built-in cameras, Smart Extruders and full networking, so you're really paying for capacity -- you only need to pay the Z18's premium if you really need the headroom.
Qualcomm cuts the price of its Toq smartwatch to $250
As you may have noticed, the smartwatch space has been heating up -- not good news for Qualcomm, whose $350 Toq smartwatch has been one the more expensive wearables on the market. The company isn't sitting still, however, and has just revealed that it quietly dropped the Toq's price to $250 on February 21st. The chip designer didn't explain its move, although it's not hard to see the motivation when watches like the Pebble Steel sit at the same price level. Whether or not the discount helps Qualcomm's bottom line, those who couldn't justify the Toq before may want to give it a second look.
ioSafe 214 NAS: Keeping data safe from fire, water, and drive failures
ioSafe has been around for a while, making mass storage devices that can survive fires and floods -- you know, the things that do happen to people and destroy their usual inexpensive backup hard drives. Lately ioSafe has teamed with Synology to add that company's DiskStation Manager (DSM) to a pair of network-attached storage (NAS) products that can withstand catastrophes, and today I'm looking at the ioSafe 214 NAS, a dual-drive disaster-proof solution. Specifications Price: US$899.99 (as configured). Pricing of other configurations available here. Dimensions: 5.9 in (150mm) x 9.06 in (230mm) x 11.5 in (292mm) Weight: 28 pounds (12.7 kilograms) Power: 100 to 240V, 50-60Hz single phase, 18.48 W (accessing data); 8.28 W (hibernating) Interface: Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port (Wi-Fi can be enabled by using a USB dongle) Maximum Capacity: 8 TB (two 4 TB HDD), usable 4 TB RAID 1 Capacity As Tested: 916 GB (two 1 TB HDD in RAID 1 configuration) Fire Protection: Up to 1550°F, 30 minutes per ASTM E-119 Flood Protection: Fully submersed, fresh or salt water, 10 foot depth, 72 hours Theft Protection: Kensington security slot and optional floor mount with padlock Drives: Two 3.5" or 2.5" SATA(II), hot-swappable Design Highlights The biggest selling point of the ioSafe 214 is the survivability of the NAS in case of a fire. This array is designed to pretty much survive a fire in a business as well as the inundation that you'd expect from firefighters trying to put out that fire. Even if the NAS is damaged, ioSafe provides a Data Recovery Service that pays for shipping, attempting recovery of data, and then spends up to $2500 ($5000 for businesses) per terabyte of data for forensic recovery. After that, they'll send the recovered data back to you on "replacement product." For pro-sumers or businesses, this is hefty insurance for your precious data. The NAS is heavy -- 28 pounds -- and taking off the front cover of the device with the included tool illustrates why. The interior and the "door" are lined with a thick ceramic material to provide the necessary protection from fire. Inside are two drives; ioSafe notes that they can be either 3.5 or 2.5 inch drives. Functionality Highlights The next big feature set of the ioSafe 214 is the Synology DSM implementation. You're not just buying a NAS when you get this box -- instead, you're getting what is essentially a full file server. Synology DSM adds File Station for sharing and managing files, Photo Station (online photo album plus blog), Antivirus Essential Server, Directory Server (LDAP service with access control and authentication for business users), iTunes Server, Surveillance Station (can manage IP cameras to guard your business), Video Station (for browsing and organizing video content), Media Server (to add TV sets and stereos to the network for watching stored media), Cloud Station (file sharing like Dropbox, without the monthly fee), Audio Station (web-based audio app), Download Station (web-based download app), Mail Station (webmail service), Time Backup (backing up ioSafe data with versioning), VPN Server (turns your device into a VPN server). If that's not enough, you can also download other applications from Synology. I used to be an Apple Consultants Network member and received certification in OS X Server. I wish I had known about Synology DSM and the ioSafe 214 back in those days, because I would have passed on using and supporting OS X Server. Seriously, from taking the ioSafe 214 out of the box to setting up a user for benchmarking took me only about 3 minutes. That user was set up with Mac, Windows, and NFS file services immediately, full FTP and WebDAV access, etc... Synology DSM is set up from a web-based control panel that is both incredibly easy to use and filled with power. Note to Apple: you've already departed the server hardware business, now get out of the server OS biz. For the purposes of my testing, which is more about using the ioSafe 214 as a fast, network-attached storage device instead of as a full file server, I am going to concentrate on the benchmarks. But I seriously recommend that any small business that is considering setting up a server consider this device with Synology DSM instead of OS X Server. Not only do you get mass storage that is capable of handling the worst disasters that you can imagine, but it also provides all of the services of OS X Server without any of the setup and support hassles. Benchmarks For the purposes of testing external drives and RAID arrays, we traditionally use the Intech SpeedTools QuickBench 4.0 app to run multiple cycles of read/write tests. In this case, both the Mac that was running QuickBench (MacBook Pro with Retina display) and the array were connected via Gigabit Ethernet. The MacBook Pro was using an Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter; the ioSafe 214 has built-in Gigabit Ethernet; and the two were connected via a Linksys Gigabit Ethernet router. To ensure accuracy in testing, I performed a 100-cycle complete test. This subjects the drive to sequential and random read and write tests with file sizes from 4K to 100 MB, then graphically or textually displays that information to show the "sweet spots" for a specific drive or array. For example, if your work involves shuffling around a lot of very large files, you'll probably want a drive that has peak read/write speeds for files around your average file size. Here are the test results, with a comparison to the Drobo 5N NAS that we reviewed recently: Sequential Read: 54.578 MB/Sec (48.452 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Sequential Write: 47.910 MB/Sec (12.398 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Random Read: 57.856 MB/Sec (51.344 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Random Write: 45.936 MB/Sec (21.866 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Large Read: 110.466 MB/Sec (109.947 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Large Write: 109.567 MB/Sec (71.205 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Extended Read: 107.834 MB/Sec (107.690 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Extended Write: 64.963 MB/Sec (46.833 MB/Sec for Drobo 5N) Compared to the competing Drobo 5N, the ioSafe 214 was faster at write speeds across the board. Read speeds were slightly faster for smaller file sizes, and almost identical for large and very large files sizes. Conclusion For a small business looking for a way to provide shared storage to a group of employees, the ioSafe 214 NAS would be a good solution. Add the fireproof and waterproof design and the amazing Data Recovery Service, and you'd have an excellent small business storage solution. What makes the ioSafe 214 NAS a must-buy for small businesses is the integration of Synology DSM. I'm also impressed with the pricing, which ranges from $899 for a 214 NAS with two 1 TB drives to $1,999 for the same unit with two 4 TB drives. While that may not seem like a bargain, consider what you'd spend trying to recover data from a hard drive destroyed by a fire or flood. Not only will the ioSafe 214 NAS have a better chance of surviving a catastrophe, but even if it doesn't the company's included Data Recovery Service has a very good chance of making sure at least some of your data is returned to you. A year of DRS is included in the base price of the device, and additional years of coverage are reasonably priced. But this is more than just a ruggedized NAS -- the ioSafe 214 NAS is a powerful server that can provide all of the capabilities that a small business needs, without the hassle of confusing or complicated setup. If I was still an Apple consultant, I know that I'd be recommending the ioSafe 214 NAS or its larger brother (the ioSafe 1513+ NAS) to my small business clients without hesitation. As a tech reviewer, I can definitely recommend this product. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
Xbox One Media Remote emerges from cushions, coming early March
The Xbox One Media Remote has been officially revealed by Microsoft's Major Nelson. The Media Remote will launch in early March for $24.99. The small remote looks just like the one leaked on a recent Amazon Canada listing, and all of its buttons glow in the dark, a true bonus for those that don't care for lamps. It includes dedicated back and OneGuide buttons, and also controls TV and receiver power and volume via the Kinect. [Image: Microsoft]
Jolla's intelligent phone covers are now on sale, and you can make your own
One of the signature features of Jolla's first smartphone is The Other Half -- an intelligent phone back that uses NFC to automatically customize the phone's software. Early owners haven't really had a chance to try the feature for themselves, but that's changing now that Jolla is selling The Other Half covers through its website. Paying €29 ($40) will get you an Aloe- or Keira Black-colored shell, either of which changes the system sounds and wallpaper to reflect a cohesive theme. And if you're not happy with Jolla's designs, you can make your own -- the company has released a developer kit that includes the 3D printer file, software instructions and tech specs that you'll need to get cracking. It currently takes two to three weeks for The Other Half units to ship to European customers, but anyone who's unwilling to wait can grab the do-it-yourself tools right away.
