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iPad apps: defining experiences from the first wave
There are now over 1,348 approved apps for the iPad. That's on top of the 150,000 iPad-compatible iPhone programs already available in the App Store. When Apple's tablet PC launches, just hours from now, it will have a software library greater than that of any handheld in history -- not counting the occasional UMPC. That said, the vast majority of even those 1,348 iPad apps are not original. They were designed for the iPhone, a device with a comparatively pokey processor and a tiny screen, and most have just been tweaked slightly, upped in price and given an "HD" suffix -- as if that somehow justified the increased cost. Besides, we've seen the amazing potential programs have on iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and webOS when given access to a touchscreen, always-on data connection, GPS, cloud storage and WiFi -- but where are the apps that truly define iPad? What will take advantage of its extra headroom, new UI paradigms and multitouch real estate? Caught between netbook and smartphone, what does the iPad do that the iPhone cannot? After spending hours digging through the web and new iPad section of the App Store, we believe we have a number of reasonably compelling answers. Update: Now includes Wormhole Remote, TweetDeck, SkyGrid, Touchgrind HD, GoToMeeting, SplitBrowser, iDisplay, Geometry Wars and Drawing Pad.
Tony Hawk: Ride prototype skateboards employ arcade buttons, duct tape, love
If you managed to catch the last Engadget Show, you inevitably saw our own Paul Miller carve it up a bit on Tony Hawk: Ride. Of course, Mr. Miller is known 'round these circles as a "professional skater," so there's a solid chance he could've handled just about anything the guys and gals at Activision threw his way. The reality of the matter is that not everyone feels safe and secure on something resembling a skateboard, and now we're being let in on the world of prototypes that were used to land on the final design. Within the read link you'll find randomly placed arcade buttons, trucks with no wheels, a terrifying amount of sensors and a comical amount of duct tape. Yeah -- even the whiz kids that make your dreams a reality start with duct tape. Go on, have a peek if you're in disbelief.
Xero's eBoard Neo skateboard is battery-powered, gun-controlled
It may not be the first electric skateboard, or the fastest, or the least skateboard-like, but Xero's new eBoard Neo is controlled by a gun, and that's got to count for something. In addition to attracting attention from the law, this board will propel you along with ease at 14 miles per hour, hit 0 to 20 (kilometers, presumably) in just four seconds, and last for around 13.5 miles on a single charge -- a complete recharge will take three to four hours. At £220 (or just over $360), however, this one doesn't exactly come cheap, although you can also snag the slightly less speedy (and gun-less) eBoard Junior or eBoard Flow for £120 and £150, respectively, or step up to the heavy duty eBoard Pro for £250.
Tony Hawk Ride ready to rock indoor tricks in the US (video)
After that false alarm about an October release date, the Tony Hawk: Ride bandwagon was all set for departure on November 17 and that's exactly what's happened. Available for a cent under $120, the new game / peripheral combo will allow players to shimmy, gesture, and ollie their way to (simulated) skateboarding immortality on the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii. The earliest European availability we can see is offered by Amazon UK, which indicates a December 4 launch for the Queen's isles and a discounted £89 ($149) price. You can check out our own feets-on with that wireless controller right here or, if you so wish, peruse the full PR at the read link. What's not optional, however, is missing the bonus "making of" video for that most radical of peripherals, which we've lovingly prepared for you just after the break.
Tony Hawk: Ride videos are in-game and out-of-game
We debated which of the two video assets Activision recently sent us for Tony Hawk: Ride should go a the top of the post, and which should be relegated to the unfavorable, post-jump real estate. The in-game trailer is pretty slick, and features that super catchy We Are Scientists jam. (You know the one, you hip guy, you.) However, the gameplay demonstration actually shows the peripheral being used to go on a "sick run," apparently part of a long-standing feud between Activision and Robomodo. We decided to put the "sick run" at the top of the post, if only because we want you to know that this is exactly how we looked the first time we played the game at E3. Only we didn't crash quite so much, and also, when we finished playing, Tony Hawk himself came up and gave us a high-five with one of his giant hands. Check out the video above, then click past the jump to check out its neglected (but catchy!) brother.
Team up and watch this new Skate 3 trailer
EA's new Skate 3 trailer touts team-play as the stand-out addition to the franchise. The new element allows players to tackle challenges and compete against other teams online for popularity within the Skate.Feed community. Of course, it's just as easy to become unpopular, too -- just ask the guy in the short shorts.EA Black Box is once again handling the development of the game, building on the, um, building features of Skate 2. The studio is working to greatly improve the film maker and skate park editor, as well as adding new features such as an in-game and web-based "social network," plus the ability to seamlessly share parks, board designs and other user-created content a la Forza 3's storefront.Skate 3 is due in May 2010 for PS3 and Xbox 360.%Gallery-77563%
Thrustmaster T-Freestyle NW is your next Wii skate / snowboard controller
Too broke to pay Tony Hawk's royalties on a Wii skateboard / snowboard? Yeah, we feel you, and evidently Thrustmaster does too. Said peripheral outfit has just introduced its newest Wii accessory, the T-Freestyle NW. Designed with work with any skate or snowboard game that lands on Nintendo's money-maker, the board is crafted from genuine maple and sports a totally stereotypical "skull" design on the top. There's also a safety stopper to prevent any sort of toppling disaster, and best of all, this thing will be available at the end of the month for just $29.99. Gnarly, dude.
Tony Hawk: RIDE's skateboard gets FCC'd, USB dongle required for PS3 and Wii
We still gotta wait until November 17th to do our own virtual shredding, but for now you can gaze upon the FCC's well-intentioned (but generally pretty bad) gadget photography of the new Tony Hawk: RIDE skateboard, the filing of which just went live in the commission's database. It shouldn't come as a surprise to owners of Activision's other plastic peripherals from the Guitar Hero series, but PlayStation 3 owners will have to use the bundled USB dongle to connect wirelessly to the console -- Wii, too, according to its user manual, as the usual trick of planting a Wii remote inside the controller isn't available here. Sad and ridiculous, but we can't imagine one dangling receiver will be a deal-breaker for many people out there -- unless, of course, you're able to buy the Xbox 360 version instead. Read - Wii skateboard Read - Wii dongle Read - PS3 dongle
Tony Hawk: RIDE makes official US debut on November 17th
Turns out GameStop's October 13th listing for Tony Hawk: RIDE was just a hair off, to the tune of 36 days or so. Activison Blizzard's sent word today that the skating simulator's official North American launch is set for November 17th -- plenty of time to practice your faux ollies before showing your family some virtual board skills over Thanksgiving meals. Additionally, Europe's now official for November 20th, but we already heard that last week. No word on pricing, but across the pond, GAME.co.uk is pushing that £99 / $168 figure pretty hard, and while we're willing to bet that's the official Europe price, we're not convinced that's any indication of what we'll be paying stateside.
Tony Hawk: RIDE Limited Edition skateboard outed as UK version gets priced and dated
While details aren't 100 percent confirmed for those of us across the pond -- Activision has yet to come out and verify those October 13th / $120 listings -- Tony Hawk: RIDE and its white not-quite-skateboard will be launching November 20th in the United Kingdom for £99.99, or about $168 in US currency. European retailer GAME will be selling a limited edition version of the game, which will sport a red and black skateboard and surprisingly no markup in price whatsoever. You know, it's a good thing the console cycle seems to be extending beyond its formerly four-year pattern, because these plastic peripherals are gonna be doing a number on our bank accounts. [Via Joystiq] Read - Tony Hawk Ride dated and priced Read - Limited Edition listing
Tony Hawk Ride dated, priced, limited edition'd in UK
Activision has made the first official announcement regarding the price of Tony Hawk Ride. In the UK, a set containing the game and board will cost £99.99 ($169) upon its November 20 release. The only information we have for a North American price to compare is the $120 at which GameStop currently lists the game. Apparently, the game is called Tony Hawk Ride because you'll need to start riding in friends' cars after you sell your own for peripheral money.UK retailer GAME will offer an exclusive limited edition of Ride (Xbox 360/PS3/Wii), featuring the red-and-black hawk artwork seen above, for the same price. It also has the game's logo on it so you don't confuse it with a real skateboard. That would be embarrassing.
Tony Hawk: RIDE's skateboard peripheral turning white before launch
We certainly didn't mind that the Tony Hawk: RIDE board we played at E3 had a charcoal coloring, and that goes double for our feet. Apparently that sentiment isn't shared by the game's director Josh Tsui, who told GamesIndustry.biz that it'll be launched in a "more consumer friendly... [and] iPod-like" white color, which in our minds all but guarantees someone out there's gonna mistake this for a new version of the Wii balance board. Tsui's not shy with praise either, calling the board "the most advanced peripheral on the market." Ultimately, the color isn't gonna matter to us, and with a board-compatible sequel rumored to already be in the works, there's plenty of time to re-release the peripheral in all sorts of attractive palettes -- that'd of course be very iPod-like. [Via Joystiq]
Latest iPhone TV ad highlights video editing
If there's one thing Apple wants you to know about the iPhone 3GS, it's that this is the device to get for mobile video. Witness the latest TV ad for the new phone, "Skateboard": it could hardly look easier to shoot, trim and email your clips from the neigborhood skate park.The ad is airing now, and continues the feature-focused ad series for the 3GS that started with Copy & Paste and Voice Control. It's a shame they can't do ads for Tethering & MMS, or Cooking An Egg.Side note: does it seem weird to anyone else that the "Itchy" ad features a compass app (Tommy Westerberg's Compass Go) that came out prior to the release of the 3GS?Thanks Chris F.
Tony Hawk's Ride coming to GameStop October 13th for $120
How much would you spend to pull a faux ollie? How about $120? That'll be the damage due according to GameStop where Tony Hawk's Ride game with skateboard peripheral lists for $119.99 with a simultaneous Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 launch on October 13th. Until then, grab some some griptape and mom's salad bowl and get to practicing.
Tony Hawk's new 'Ride' game includes motion-sensing skateboard controller for shredding your mom's new carpet
We'd heard rumblings that Tony Hawk was working on something with motion controls -- which seems only natural after EA's Skate hit the scene with its intuitive Flickit control scheme, and Shaun White's game put the Wii's Balance Board to good use, both making the Tony Hawk method of arcade-style button mashing feel a little dated. Well, Tony's new Ride is looking to change all that, with a skateboard peripheral that looks like... a skateboard. It's hard to tell from just looking at it how precisely interactive the controller will be -- it seems basic balancing and leaning would be in, while Christ Air-ing your little sister in the face wouldn't go over so well. According to the man himself, Hawk is quite good at the game, and skateboarders should find the transition easy. A promo video is after the break, and apparently on June 2nd we'll be seeing this thing in action.Update: We added another video after the break, including video of the actual board in action. Turns out the motion controls are quite detailed, and in advanced modes even allow for in-place 180s, but nothing seems to involve lifting the board actually off the ground. Grabs can be performed by actually grabbing the edge of the board, with infrared sensors picking up your hand position, and pushing is performed by running your foot along the side of the board. Ollies and flip tricks are obviously going to be a bit different than the real deal, while manuals and steering are pretty much spot on, and apparently there's a lot of choice as to how much "realism" you'd like in controlling the thing. Tony Hawk also sees the controller as a "standard," which could work with snowboarding games, surfing games, exercise games and other assorted cash cows for Activision.[Via Joystiq]
Tony Hawk Ride goes to Wii, PS3, 360 ... with a skateboard peripheral
As expected, the new Tony Hawk game was revealed on GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley. Tony Hawk Ride will take advantage of a brand new skateboard peripheral (pictured above) and, according to the program, will be available on all current generation home consoles: Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360.Skateboarder Tony Hawk said he has wanted to create a peripheral-based game for quite some time, but technology only recently allowed Ride to be possible. When grilled about his skill at the video game, Hawk said that he was quite good and added that skateboarders should find the transition easy. Multiple difficulty modes will allow players with even the most inadequate of balancing capabilities to play.The official website teases another appearance at this year's E3. We promise you that you won't have to wait long to find out more about Tony Hawk Ride. (Probably because we already saw it, and we're still under embargo.)Update: You can see GameTrailers footage after the cut.
Video: Scarpar off-road powerboard absolutely must go commercial
Hoverboards? Too complicated, too far out and too expensive. What the world really needs is the Scarpar. Said device is an off-road powerboard that just moved on from the concept stage to engineering. Its creators have thrown together an absolutely sick video (after the break) which showcases all the possibilities, and now all that's left is for those very folks to procure a good bit of venture funding to get things moving. Take it from us, VCers -- hit these guys up, now.
Real Virtual Skater: kickflip and nollie with the Wiimote
What you see in the video above is Real Virtual Skater, a hack which utilizes the Wiimote's guts in a small box attached to the bottom of a skateboard. As you can imagine, it lets you play as if you're actually skateboarding. The game the tech is being demonstrated on is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Our only concern is if anyone actually tried doing this in their living room, they'd break a few lamps. And a couple of tables. And the television.Head past the break for the video.
Wiimote and skateboard hacked into a controller, Gator not impressed
Real Virtual Skater is a controller mod that sees a Wiimote liberated from its case and placed inside a box strapped to the underside of a skateboard. Thanks to The Bluetooth, as the player gleams "the cube" (or his "living room", as the case may be) all his movements are used to control his avatar in the magical world of Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Just the thing for a kid that already has the board, the Vans, the Jams, a Lance Mountain t-shirt, and a JFA cassette -- but no real desire to leave his parent's basement. Technical details are few, but we do have a chest-pounding video of the thing in action after the break.[Via Feng Gui][Thanks, Pegasus Unicorn]
Neversoft bails: Tony Hawk's next game developed by another studio
We haven't heard much on the latest Tony Hawk game that is supposed to be in development, aside from there supposedly being a peripheral key to gameplay that Activision is designing themselves. Well, we've got some news now: Neversoft, the developers who started the franchise, have handed off the duties to another developer. Why? Because they need to concentrate on Guitar Hero.So who's working on the new game? Well, word is that it's Robomodo, a developer that has some ex-EA employees within its ranks. Turns out part of that rumor from EGM was true. We're fully expecting an announcement soon, with a look at a new peripheral to play the game. Just look at what they're doing with the DS game.[Via Joystiq]
