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DS Daily: Tilting through Tony Hawk
Did you play Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam for Wii? If so, it may help determine how you feel about the latest handheld Tony Hawk title, which will include an accelerometer add-on for the GBA slot. We don't know much else about Tony Hawk's Motion other than a) it's a skateboarding game (mostly) and b) there'll be tilt controls. Having played the aforementioned Wii game, however, this blogger, at least, is somewhat intrigued. How are you feeling? Did you play Downhill Jam, and does that make a difference? It must be said that I skipped Proving Ground, but did have a blast with Downhill Jam, though I didn't think I would, at all. Gallery: Tony Hawk's Motion
Swany's g.cell snowboard glove secretly doubles as Bluetooth handset
Bluetooth technology has been finding its way into ski gear for years now, but Swany has taken things to a whole 'nother level -- one that's only reachable via the heated quad-lift. Unless this description is positively inaccurate, there's actually a Bluetooth module, speaker and microphone tucked within one of the g.cell gloves. When it detects an incoming call, it gives your wrist a shake (read: there's a vibrate function) and enables you to quite literally talk to the hand. Swany asserts that it'll last for 12 hours on standby (4 hours of talk time), though your phone may crap out a few hours earlier in extreme temperatures. Now that we think about it, wrestling that mobile out of our deep coat pockets with frostbitten hands is pretty annoying -- maybe that $495 price tag isn't so staggering after all.[Via bookofjoe, thanks llya]
O'Neill's H4 Campack ditches iPod, integrates camera and media player
Ok, ok, it was announced back in August but we're only just now planning our off-piste gear purchases. Meet the H4 Campack from O'Neill which bests the H3 launched last year with increased durability, better controls, an integrated media player, and a true video camera (not just a video extender). The included 2.4-inch, 240k color, media player boasts a paltry 512MB of internal memory augmented by a 2GB SD card. That allows for about 2 hours of 320 x 240 pixel @ 25fps recordings from the sub-megapixel CMOS camera which can be helmet or goggle mounted. A button panel on the shoulder strap controls the recordings which can be dumped back to the PC via the player's USB jack or SD card reader. Unlike the H3, however, O'Neill has ditch the iPod integration and Bluetooth module for cellphone linkage. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any way to playback audio through connected headphones -- the 3.5-mm jack is for the external button controller. Nor does it feature a solar charging panel like the H2. If you're still interested, it should pop for retail in Europe is €269 or about $398 sometime this month. Video demonstration with plenty of stick riding action after the break. [Via Highsnobiety, thanks David F.]
Wii Warm Up: Surfin, skatin, potential heartbreakin with the balance board
Yesterday, the air was filled with wanton speculation about potential uses for the Wii Balance Board that will be packaged with Wii Fit. Now we're looking to get all those ideas down in one place -- specifically, here. We've heard some things already, like surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding sims, and maybe for boxing games, but what else can you think of? Feel free to be both outrageous and creative. Also, are you interested in trying out something like surfing with an interface like this?
Bongfish shows Mac snowboarding game (Macworld Expo)
Bongfish is showing off Stoked Rider at one of the Mac game kiosks at the Macworld Expo. The independent developer already released its snowboarding game on Windows, but the Mac version is expected in about two weeks.The sandbox-style snowboarding game will be a download title for about $25. Gamers fly in a helicopter over a mountain range, locate a good spot to carve, and jump out. The title is unique on the Mac; few sports games have ever been released. The game will require a G5 or Intel processor.
Burton and Motorola intro Audex helmet
While it's the dead of summer here in the States, it's probably snowing somewhere, and Burton has teamed up with Motorola to drop the feature-packed Audex Helmet to keep your skull intact while carving that powder. At the 2006 Burton New Zealand Open Snowboarding Championships, this Bluetooth-enabled brain protector was unveiled to give riders the ability to manage a cellphone and audio player without the hassle of wires. While the helmet looks fairly standard, it rocks detachable stereo headphones -- optimized to handle the wind and noise -- that avid boarders will likely appreciate. Integrated Bluetooth, a 3.5mm line-in jack, Bluetooth audio controls, and a built-in microphone round out the technology crammed inside the Audex. Riders can pair up their cellphone for hands-free operation, and although Burton would need a mighty windscreen on the mic if anyone expects to hear you while busting a 720, at least you can brag with ease when back on the lift. Thanks to the line-in port, users without Bluetooth-enabled DAPs are still taken care of, though you won't be able to utilize the glove-friendly volume / track selectors that control functionality in Bluetooth equipped units. Available in a myriad of colors, the headgear will be shipping this month, so if you're not already rocking the Audex jacket, or just want a snazzy way to protect your neck (and cranium), you can pick this up for around $250.
