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Rocket Racers are go: two aircraft put on a show in Tulsa
This isn't the first time that would-be competitors in the Rocket Racing League have taken to the skies, but the recent Tusla Air & Rocket Racing Show did mark the first time that two of the aircraft have flown together, giving spectators a taste of what an actual rocket race might be like. Those actually looking up are only seeing part of what makes the Rocket Racing League so unique, however, as a key component of it is an augmented reality system that not only lets the pilots and viewers alike see the virtual course, but promises to eventually let folks at home test their skills against real pilots. What's more, all of this may not be all that far off -- Rocket Racing League founder Peter Diamandis (of X-Prize fame) is hoping to kick off the first series of races sometime next year. Until then, you'll have to make do with the video after the break.
Zeal Optics bringing GPS, sensor-laden Transcend ski goggles to market
Remember those mind-melting Recon Instruments goggles that we caught wind of late last year? Admit it -- you never, ever expected those things to actually make it to market. Despite your pessimism, it seems as if those very specs are indeed making a beeline to the consumer realm, with Zeal Optics jumping in, working a bit of magic and relabeling 'em Transcend. Deemed the planet's first GPS and sensor-laden ski goggles, these things are purportedly capable of logging speed, altitude, temperature and time details, and the side-mounted toggle switches will enable you to view said data in real time (or not, if you're paying attention to the 50 foot drop ahead of you). Peek the read link for further details on the $350+ wearables (demoed after the break), and get ready to hit the slopes with a whole new mindset this October. [Thanks, Christopher]
Pedal Brain iPhone kit smartens up your bicycle
Cyclists already have a range of dedicated devices to choose from that will help them with their training, and it looks like they'll soon have an iPhone app / accessory kit to call their own as well. While the folks behind it are apparently still working on the finishing touches, they've nonetheless decided to get official with their so-called Pedal Brain kit, which more or less promises to be a Nike+ alternative for cyclists. That means it comes with an accessory (a case) that relies on the ANT+ wireless protocol to relay all the necessary information form your bike, which in turn is processed and analyzed by the Pedal Brain app (all of which will also work with an iPod touch). Pedal Brain also goes one step further with a coaching component, which will actually let you make your own training plans and sell them through the app (you'll also be able to determine the price, but Pedal Brain will apparently take a $4 a month cut). No word on an exact price or launch date for the kit itself just yet, but it will apparently sell for somewhere between $130 and $200 (or more if you want the spiffy carbon fiber case).
Recon Instruments putting heads-up display, extra layer of 'cool' within ski goggles
It's a match made in heaven, really. A GPS-linked heads-up display system, and ski goggles. Together, at long last, forever. Recon Instruments is reportedly developing said technology right now, and if all goes well, a HUD-equipped set of alpine goggles will indeed be on sale to the general populace next fall for between $350 to $450. The device is expected to tap into your cellphone, and if said phone has a GPS chip within, you'll be able to see where you're at, where your fellow snow bunnies are and where you're headed. It'll also provide all sorts of other vital information, such as hang time off of the rail jump, altitude gain / loss, a stopwatch and temperature. There's no word on whether it'll alert you when too much powder starts building on that front-side edge, but here's hoping these things are durable enough to survive the face-plant that'll inevitably ensue when that scenario plays itself out.
All-weather Satsports GPS handles navigation duties for snow bunnies, other athletes (video)
Ripxx is already targeting athletes-in-training with its GPS-enabled Personal Measurement Device, but it looks as if that very unit may have a little competition. Satsports GPS claims to be the world's first device to combine "true real time interactive navigation for skiing, snowboarding, golfing, running, cycling and automotive enthusiasts in a portable, all-weather device." Granted, it's not like you couldn't get your hands on a rugged navigator before, but the software here is what takes things to another level. It promises athletes real-time routing and data logging, and after your runs are through, you can sync the data with Google Earth to get a good look at what all you just accomplished. As for specs, you'll find a 2.7-inch touchscreen, 400MHz Samsung processor and a microSD expansion card. Oh, and if you're not down with dropping $490 on this, you can opt for the Satski, Pocket Caddy and / or Sports Log apps for WinMo and Android. Check the details in the press release and demo vid after the break.%Gallery-75662%
Video: TOTO robot catches tennis balls, hopes for a deeper purpose in life
Fido conked out for the evening? Your youngster not really into "playing catch" at age 14? Enter TOTO -- a brilliant robotic contraption conceived at Reinhold-Würth University -- that can absolutely act as a suitable replacement. Short for Tracking of Thrown Objects, the camera-equipped system views and tracks incoming objects, and once said object is within catching range, it clamps down in order to grab hold. Eventually, the inventors would love to see the machine have an impact within a manufacturing facility, but considering just how effective conveyor belts have been over the past few scores, we'd say it has its work cut out for it. Video's after the break, and it's worth checking out.[Via PlasticPals]
Ripxx debuts Personal Measurement Device for exercise nerds and Olympic athletes
If we're being candid, the Ripxx Personal Measurement Device (or PMD, as the hip kids call it) looks a lot like the original SPOT with the addition of a display. But aside from the physical likeness, there aren't too many similarities between the two gizmos. Launched this month, the handheld fitness tool is apt to be a surefire winner for any competitive athlete, not to mention competitive individuals in general who just need a statistical way to track their dominance. Essentially, an integrated GPS tracker pumps out ten tracking signals every second during, let's say, a ski run. That information, coupled with data gathered from a trio of accelerometers and gyroscopes, is used to record your location, orientation, speed, vertical drop, rolls, spins, turns and just about any other movement you make. Once you're done, those points can be plotted on a map for review. We're told that the U.S. Olympic team is already using a prototype to train for the 2010 winter games, though mere lay people won't be able to buy one until mid-December for $329.
Canon's PowerShot D10 adventure cam shot with a bazooka in this in-depth review
The gang at Photography Blog have got their hands all over the PowerShot D10, and it looks like Canon didn't fare too badly with its first "adventure camera." Even if the reviewer didn't really drop it from a helicopter or shoot it with a bazooka (as we had originally hoped) the unit was found to be as intuitive, sensible, and dependable as the company's other point-and-shooters. Of course, a device with this robust of a design is going to suffer in a few areas, and the 3x, 35-135mm zoom lens and 2.5-inch display can easily be considered "rather hum-drum" for a camera in this day and age. That said, the lens is "quite fast," great for underwater use, and the display is bright enough for all of your spelunking needs. The verdict? If you're going to be dropping from airplanes or scavenging sunken treasure (actually, make that "reading on the beach" and "taking the kids snorkeling") this summer, you could do worse than shell out $329.99 for this bad boy. Hit the read link for the usual exhaustive review.
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 lands in June, comes with MotionPlus
Say it with us now: "Phew!" When Nintendo announced that its Wii MotionPlus dongle would be hitting US shelves on June 8th, we all wondered why Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo's first MotionPlus-enabled title) was set to ship over a month later. Now, EA Sports has relieved worries that early adopters would have no software to use with their new toy by announcing that Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 will hit North America on June 15th. Better still, the Wii version will be available with a MotionPlus add-on bundled in for just $10 more than the standalone title (which will run $49.99). As great as all this is, Europeans still come out better, as they'll also see Grand Slam Tennis ship in June with a MotionPlus packed in. Ah well -- it's just a peccadillo, we'll let it slide this time.
New York Mets' Citi Field set to be loaded with AQUOS HDTVs
It's still up in the air whether the New York Mets will have a solid 2009 season, but one thing is for certain: locals are stoked to see Citi Field open up on April 13th. Sharp has just pushed out a press release that gives baseball loving HD junkies even more reason to go check out a game in person, as we're told that over 800 AQUOS HDTVs will be littered about the new venue. There will also be a gigantic 108-inch Sharp LCD in Citi Field's main lobby, which ought to complement the 12,000 square-feet of Daktronics HD signage quite well. Man, stuff like this really makes us rethink the whole "stay home vs. see it live" debate. Full release is after the break.
U-verse TV subscribers score interactive college basketball app
Make no mistake -- legions of cube-dwellers will be tuning into March Madness On Demand this Thursday, but those lucky / unlucky enough to be sitting at home in front of their U-verse TV DVR can enjoy one other luxury: an interactive application. AT&T has partnered up with Yahoo! Sports in order to add in a free college basketball U-bar app that will give March Madness fans the ability to view tournament brackets, their personalized completed bracket, game summaries and box scores, and video clips of game analysis / commentary with a simple remote click. Nah, it's no DirecTV-like four-screens-in-one, but it's definitely better than anything offered up on cable. Check out a simple video demonstration here.
Canon's new PowerShot D10 is rugged, bulbous, and waterproof
Well, we dug up some hands-on pics of that new waterproof Canon PowerShot D10 we've been hearing about recently. Obviously, since it's aimed at the "sport" set it has to be available in "camouflage," and since it's waterproof it has to be sort of bulky. As for the stats, this guy rocks a 12.1-megapixel sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, 3x zoom, image stabilization, and a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD II display that's said to be twice as bright as the company's standard LCD II. In addition, the camera is waterproof up to 10 meters, shock resistant, and the display sits behind a 2mm shield -- if you should happen to drop this off the roof of an evil genuis's high-tech lair (or into a pitcher of beer), no worries. Going for about $329, available at the end of April. Hit the read link for the pics.
Ask Engadget: Best rugged, waterproof point-and-shoot camera?
In the spirit of winter, we felt that Ben's recent question about a camera fit for the slopes was just perfect. And if you'd like to toss out a warm and fuzzy question of your own, just send one to ask at engadget dawt com and keep tuning in. "I'm going skiing over spring break, and I've been reading a lot on some of the newer waterproof, rugged cameras. There are just so many out there to choose from, I was wondering what you guys thought about some of the better ones." So, what camera should Mr. Ben procure in order to have worry-free shooting days at the slopes? He probably wouldn't mind one that withstands minor bumps and bangs either, 'cause we all know what inevitably happens the first time down a new double black.
Microsoft's Silverlight to deliver NCAA March Madness on Demand in HD
Fantastic news, cube dwellers -- you can finally put that office T1 to use this year, as CBSSports.com has inked an agreement with Microsoft that will enable it to provide a 1.5 megabits per second stream of March Madness. In other words, you'll be able to watch the 64 most deserved teams scrap it out online in HD for that all important National Championship. Employers, hear this: just go ahead and give your folks a few days off. It's not like they'll be even remotely productive with MMoD coming at 'em in high-def.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
Reminder: win Valentine's Day tickets for NBA All-Star Weekend in 3D!
Still undecided on Valentine's Day plans? Bad news, Fred -- because every event worth its salt is already booked up by now. Don't panic just yet, though, because we've got 25 pairs of tickets (courtesy of Cinedigm) for this weekend's NBA All-Star Weekend in 3D to giveaway. If you and your lover would love to go, hit up the read link for all the official details including a way to see if it's showing near you. If so, enter your name over there and cross your fingers for a Cupid miracle.
Valentine's Day Giveaway: tickets for NBA All-Star Weekend in 3D!
Remember when we told you that Cinedigm, Turner Sports and the NBA would be broadcasting TNT's coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night in 3D? Remember just how bad you wanted to go? We've excellent news -- for those still scrambling to firm up their Valentine's Day plans, we've got 25 pairs of tickets to this here showing in live 3D HD, and we're giving every last set to you readers. 80 digitally equipped theaters in 35 states will be showing the event (and giving away freebies!), which kicks off at 8:00PM ET on February 14th. Enter your ZIP code here for a list of cinemas in your area, and if one's nearby, feel free to drop a comment below to consider yourself entered. Your honey / manly man will love you for it.Special thanks to Cinedigm for the tickets!%Gallery-44036%The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, though we'd prefer to hear who you think will win this year's Slam Dunk contest. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 48 continental US States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. 25 winners will receive two (2) tickets to the Live 3D HD showing of the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend in cinemas. Approximate value is $18 to $22 per ticket. Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, February 10th, 11:59AM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Survey finds that HD Super Bowl could bring families together
We've seen some pretty outlandish survey results before, but this might just take top honors. A Samsung-commissioned poll has revealed that "an HDTV can entice your spouse to visit the in-laws, even for the Super Bowl, if it means viewing football in high-definition." Heard that? Your family could actually grow fonder of one another if your in-laws are showing the Super Bowl in high-def. The actual results were that 43 percent would make the trek to their in-laws if they could count on watching the big game in HD, with 50 percent of that subset being men and 34 percent being women. The survey also found that 81 percent felt image quality was more important than food, and we're left to wonder what on Earth those other 19 percent are drinking so heavily. Check the read link for even more laughs.[Image courtesy of PBase]
Cheetah Ultra Sports reinvents the snowboard, wants $1899 for it
We've already seen the skateboard get re-engineered this year, so why not its most closely related, snow-loving cousin? Cheetah Ultra Sports has apparently developed the Whip F-117 after four solid years of research, development and taking oodles of time off to hit the slopes. In short, it's dubbed the Lamborghini of snowboards, promising to make riders go faster, feel lighter, turn quicker, edge harder, carve sharper and be broker. Yeah, we're just kidding on that last one, though the $1,899 price tag may just disagree. The board is only available in limited quantities due to the hand built nature, and obviously you'll have a difficult time trying one before you buy. So, what say you? The next big thing in boarding, or the next piece of hype sure to flame out in short order?[Via BeSportier]
Totally blow out the big game! Part IV: Super Bowl XLIII
Considering that Pittsburgh already nabbed "one for the thumb," it's safe to say they're just going for history now. The Steelers and Cardinals didn't meet during the regular season this year (a shame, we know), but you can bet both clubs are ready for what's coming when February 1st rolls around. In fact, the only question remaining is this: are you? If you've suddenly found yourself shocked and unprepared, follow us past the break for our guidance on blowing out Super Bowl XLIII.
Prepared for Super Bowl XLIII? Here's how.
Believe it or not, Super Bowl XLIII is but days away. If you've been putting off that home theater expansion, the time to get serious is now. We've hosted up a handy guide to get your abode totally ready for hosting a rather monumental bash, so why not head over to Engadget Classic and check it out? We're not responsible for the condition of your wallet should you follow each and every recommendation, but we are guaranteeing that it's a darn good recipe for joviality.
