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Tango launches 3G and WiFi video calling on iOS and Android, no account required
Today at San Francisco's Mobilize conference, a company by the name of Tango launched its video calling application, appropriately called... yes, "Tango." Like Fring, it's available for both iOS and Android devices, and handles calls over 3G and WiFi. Like FaceTime, no account is required to initiate calls. We chatted with Eric Setton, CTO of Tango, who gave us a demo of the application (on video) using an iPhone 4 and EVO 4G. We also tested Tango by installing the application on an iPhone 4 and Nexus One, and it works as advertised -- although it only appears to initiate calls with people already in your contact list. Tango relies on the XMPP protocol used by Jabber and Google Talk to initiate calls via a centralized server, but the actual calls are peer-to-peer over 3G and WiFi. Call quality scales dynamically with connection performance. Currently, the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and 4th generation iPod touch are supported, as well as devices running Android 2.1 and higher (not 2.0 as mentioned in the video). Give it a try and let us know how it works for you -- and remember, it takes two to tango. Follow the break for the video demo!
MadWorld director joins Shinji Mikami's Tango studio
Even as work progresses on Shinji Mikami's Vanquish for Platinum Games, Mikami's own studio, Tango, is growing toward Mikami's stated goal of around 100 staffers. Platinum's Hideki Kamiya revealed via Twitter that Shigenori Nishikawa, who directed MadWorld for Platinum and did design work on Resident Evil 4 and Dino Crisis 2 and 3 at Capcom, has left Platinum for Tango. Nishikawa was one of the founders of Platinum. Nishikawa will join former Grasshopper Manufacture sound director Masafumi Takada and art directors Ryosuke Kaiba and Naoki Katakai at Tango. The new studio has yet to announce any projects. [Via Develop]
Shinji Mikami opening new Tokyo-based studio, Tango
[M for Mature] Shinji Mikami didn't just have a hand in bringing the Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry series to gamers. He also helped create the survival horror genre in 1996 through Resident Evil -- so the dude has a pretty impressive resume. Now, he's working with Platinum Games on Vanquish, the upcoming sci-fi shooter set in a fictional future United States in the grip of a cold war with Russia. According to an interview in this week's Famitsu magazine (via 1UP), Mikami's also working on opening a new independent studio called Tango. His current studio, Straight Story, was formed in 2006 (shortly before Seeds shut its doors and became Platinum Games) and is currently contracted to work on Vanquish and that action-horror project with Grasshopper Manufacture. Upon completion of Vanquish, Straight Story will "fold up" and Mikami will focus on the now 13-strong Tango. Mikami wants to see Tango "grow to 100 people or so in five to seven years." After Vanquish, Mikami will relocate from his current digs in Osaka to Tokyo, where he hopes to recruit some of the young up-and-comers Japan has to offer. As for Tango's first project, that's still up in the air. "I'd like to make a choice with the rest of the team as we grow our numbers," he said. "I've been speaking with a number of publishers as well, but we haven't signed any contracts yet."
Samsung's Tango robot vacuum uses cameras to clean your floors, duvet covers
Just because a Samsung vacbot never cleaned your floors doesn't mean they're not out there somewhere, attacking dust on hardwood and carpet -- and apparently Egyptian cotton too if the above picture is anything to go by. This Tango is the latest from the company, following in the tracks of the Furot and Hauzen and sharing their dual spinny brush design. Tango is said to use a 30fps camera to tell where he's going, a gyro to keep a sense of direction, and crash sensors that now can detect furniture and feet from up to 2cm away. Prices will range from ₩500,000 to ₩700,000 and, though that equates to between $425 and $600 American, the stores these will be available in probably won't take dollars.
Teen engineers create eco-minded electric unicycle
Two clever Canadian teen-scientists have built a bizarre, eco-friendly electric bike which runs on principals similar to those of the Segway -- but looks way cooler. The motorized prototype (called either the "Uno" or "Tango," depending on who you speak with), sports two wheels side-by-side, sort of like a double unicycle which the rider sits directly above. The bike, based off of the frame design of a Yamaha R6 sport bike, can reach speeds of up to 40 MPH, and uses accelerometer technology to keep its balance. Inventors Ben Gulak and Jason Morrow say that the bike beats out the Segway in terms of speed, and delivers better maneuverability than Bombardier's Embrio unicycle concept. The whole package is surprisingly powered by amped-up wheelchair motors and 36-volt batteries. Next up, the young men plan to assemble a rag-tag band of colorful characters, get on their bikes, and ride into Neo-Tokyo during a riot.[Via Ubergizmo]
Another Sony Bravia Bouncing Balls commercial spoof - TANGO
They say imitation is the best form of flattery and even though we don't know who "they" are, we believe 'em. That Sony Bouncing Balls commercial has been recreated with Battlefield 2 solders and now with fruit for TANGO. (We didn't know what TANGO was ether but apparently it is a popular carbonated fruit drink in the UK.) This one sets it to the same music and setting but has fruit bouncing down the streets causing all type of havoc. We love the watermelon smashing into the car and the orange going throw the window. It still ends with a similar message though. Instead of 'Colour.like.no.other' in the Bravia commercial, this one ends with 'Refreshment like no other.' Clever.[view the orignal Sony Bravia commercial here thanks to youtube]
