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Escort's SmartCord Live brings radar detection, KRS-One to your smartphone (video)
Evading the long arm of the law, as we all know, is infinitely easier with a radar detector onboard -- and even easier if said detector is hooked up to a cloud. That's the idea behind the SmartCord Live, a new power cord from the eagle-eyed folks at Escort. Once connected to your car's radar detector and lighter socket, this Bluetooth-enabled bundle will communicate with your iPhone or Android handset through a specialized app. Once that's taken care of, you'll be hooked up to Escort Live -- a so-called "social network for the road." There, you'll find access to Escort's Defender database, full of real-time geographic information on verified speed traps, red light cameras and other roadway surveillance systems. Once your detector picks up a threat, you can press a "report" button on the cord or app to instantly send out a big "five-oh" to all other Escort users in the area, while boosting your Karma quotient, in the process. Find out more about the cord and its corollary system, after the break.
PSA: Xbox 360 S Kinect bundle doesn't come with Kinect AC adapter
Here we are, having our own little private November Christmas, tearing apart the freshly delivered Xbox 360 S console bundle, replete with Kinect and Kinect Adventures, only to make an inconvenient discovery -- the Xbox 360 S Kinect bundle doesn't contain a standalone power cord for Kinect, leaving folks who want to use those Kinects on older (pre-Slim) Xbox 360s in the lurch. How in the world are we going to show Grandma all our stylish new Dance Central moves when she's only got a regular Xbox 360? As of this minute, Microsoft isn't showing individual Kinect power cords on its website, though a Microsoft rep is looking into whether they'll be offered in the future. An Xbox Support team member notes on the Xbox.com forums, "If you wish to use your Kinect with an older Xbox, you would need to purchase the Kinect stand-alone kit. This includes the sensor, [Kinect] Adventures, and all the necessary cables." Otherwise, unless Grandma's got her own Kinect, or an Xbox 360 S, your dance moves are staying firmly holstered in your own abode. [Thanks Drew!]
Apple considering MagSafe charger on iPad
Here's something to get your mind wondering this Monday afternoon. Patently Apple is reporting that Apple may be considering integrating the MagSafe Power Port to its portable products, like the iPad. The continuation patent, published on October 7th 2010 by the US Patent and Trademark Office, clearly depicts what looks like an iPhone / iPod touch / iPad with figure 62 revealing what appears to be a power connector. This power connector, expanded upon in greater detail in further diagrams, depicts what appears to be, according to Patently Apple, a MagSafe Power Port. And here at TUAW, we'll concur. It does look remarkably like a MagSafe Power Port. The MagSafe power adapter and port (first introduced in 2006 and then quietly updated in April of this year), are designed to connect the power cable to your MacBook / Pro / Air magnetically, allowing for a solid connection, but providing an immediate disconnection if the power cord is strongly pulled on. The idea is to stop your MacBook from flying off the table when you accidentally trip over the power cord. I can't imagine Apple introducing a lone power port for the iPad, but I can see the advantage in adding the MagSafe's magnetic qualities to, say, the 30-pin connector currently used with all iPods, iPhones and iPads. What do you think, readers? I know I've yanked my iPhone off the desk by inadvertently pulling on the 30-pin connector cable. A release mechanism like the MagSafe would certainly come in handy. Apple first filed this patent in June of this year. With this follow up continuation patent being filed in October, Patently Apple seems to suggest that Apple maybe trying to rush through the patent for an upcoming product release. But, with patents, it's hard to know whether these ideas will actually see the light of day in released products. It could just be another case of Apple securing its intellectual property.
Rumor: Natal test kit photos reveal 'motorized tilt mechanism,' power cord
Motion camera meta-voyeurism news now, with an alleged Project Natal test kit capturing every movement of a man ... taking pictures of it. According to Italian gaming site Multiplayer.it, the photos originate from a tester, who was tasked with having an unreciprocated conversation with the Xbox 360 peripheral in order to test its speech recognition capabilities. The surprisingly cheerful documentation included with the supposed test kit explicitly warns against tilting the camera manually, as it's already equipped with a "motorized tilt mechanism" -- all the better to see you with, my dear. The "Quick Start Guide" also shows how the early model of the camera connects to an Xbox 360 development kit via USB and a power outlet via a split cable. It's not known how representative these photos are of early Project Natal development kits, nor how much of it will change by the time the final product arrives this holiday. Microsoft did not comment on the veracity of the images, with a representative telling Joystiq: "We announced earlier this year that Project Natal will launch this holiday, and our teams are working hard to bring the best experiences to life. We have nothing further to announce at this time." [Via Engadget]
The JerkStopper keeps your power cord in place, does little else
You. Yes, you. Someone knows your darkest fears, your deepest regrets, your most painful memories... and they know they're all related to your power cord being yanked violently out of your laptop. Well thankfully, that someone has taken the law into their own hands, and is attempting to halt further infractions against your personage and / or computers. Enter the JerkStopper: a tough, tempered steel ABS device that cannot be cut or broken... wait, it also keeps your cord in place. Apparently, all you needed to do was fasten the thing into an innocent USB, RJ11, or RJ45 port, and clamp it down with metal teeth. Sure, you won't get that annoying spark anymore when your power cord wiggles, but you might dislodge a USB jack from its rightful home (though the makers say it will pop out with ease). Hey -- that's the chance you take when you play with the JerkStopper.
Microsoft, Wal-Mart sued over baby's death
While the figurative jury is still out as to whether video games harm our youth by inciting them to commit violence, loiter unnecessarily, and utter profanities, a real flesh-and-blood jury may soon be deciding if one faulty Xbox was to blame for the December 2004 death of an Illinois baby. The family of young Wade Kline is suing Microsoft, retail giant Wal-Mart, and an unnamed power supply manufacturer in state court for damages "in excess of $50,000," claiming that their console -- the suit cites a 360, though it's more likely that the it was a first-gen unit sporting one of those recalled power cord -- overheated and caused the attached wall outlet to spark what turned out to be a fatal fire. This isn't the first time we've seen Xboxes and fire go to bed together, but it may be the first attempt to hold someone accountable for the damage done, so it'll be interesting to see how the culpability gets doled out here.
Xbox burned down house -- three years ago
Boston has been full of really stupid mainstream media game reporting lately. Yesterday, WBZ's Chris May reported on a three year old case of an original Xbox allegedly burning down a house in ... Hollywood, Fla. Wow, the local news was so streched for content that they took a three year old story -- from another state -- and repackaged it for Boston audiences. Looks like someone picked up their assignment editor from a FOX affiliate. So, for all we know, this story of the Steckler family's house burning down wanders the country like Cain in Kung Fu. Let us know if you've seen this sensationalist piece of journalism in your region of the country.For starters, this power cord recall is ancient news. If you still own an original Xbox that was part of the recall, do yourself a favor and get the new cord. It may not prevent your original Xbox from having other power cord incidents, but at least you won't be on the local news three years from now because your house burned down. Only you can help prevent stupid local news reports.
Anything goes (so long proprietary peripherals) (PS3 delight #002)
Microsoft's been doing the talking, Sony is doing the walking. PlayStation 3 is the console for those that value choice. From a standard three-pronged power cord to a standard hard drive bay, Sony's hardware is compatible with a vast range of products, including additional operating systems (e.g., Linux).Already own a USB headset? What about a web cam? As Microsoft forces us to buy into -- often inferior -- proprietary devices, Sony welcomes us to use those peripherals we might already have lying around. Bravo!PS3 delights vs. PS3 annoyancesWii delights vs. Wii annoyancesXbox 360 delights vs. Xbox 360 annoyances
