transform
Latest
Peugeot's transforming food truck is a mobile French bistro for 30
The French know a thing or two about good food, so it makes sense that they'd weigh in on the mobile culinary trend, too. Peugeot's Design Lab created the "Le Bistrot du Lion:" a transforming vehicle that offers cafe-style seating for up to 30 people. The van's entire side panel opens to reveal a fully-equipped kitchen/prep area, with a raised roof to offer the extra head room. That side panel also houses a 46-inch display where hungry observers can watch the chef's routine. Continuing with the modular construction, a counter slides out the back and the rear door handles storage. There's a trailer too, and it packs in a n espresso machine for a fresh brewed cup and a DJ booth provides tunes while folks dine. Such a luxurious workspace needs talent to make it worth the trouble, so Peugeot enlisted Paris-based chef Sven Chartier for the vehicle's stops at Milan Design Week and the World's Fair Expo Milano. If you can't travel to Italy for a closer look, peruse the gallery below for some detail shots.
ASUS 'We Transform' Computex teaser leaves us waiting for more teaser videos
Just like last year, ASUS is filling time before the Computex trade show by posting teaser trailers. Sporting a "We Transform" tag, its first one for 2013 features the spun metal casings, touchscreen laptops, convertibles, tablets and phones we've become accustomed to from the company. So what's next? The video doesn't appear to provide any hints -- other than an oddly blacked-out tablet with stylus about 30 seconds in -- however the press page linked below includes a countdown to ASUS' press conference June 3rd, and blank spaces for four more videos to come. We'll keep an eye out for anything else that fills in the blanks (US release info for the Transformer Book would do the trick), check the video after the break to "transform your expectations of technology."
Transformers Universe to leave Earth (someday)
We're getting some solid information about Jagex's upcoming Transformers Universe from the recent London MCM Expo. The team took to the stage to talk about the title, revealing quite a few new details -- including the revelation that the game won't be confined to just Earth. The team is making Transformers Universe with the intention to keep the game going for at least 10 years; it has latched onto the "Universe" moniker to indicate it will eventually expand the game from our terrestrial ball to the stars (including Cybertron). Transformers Universe will use Energon as the game's currency, and while the team will use microtransactions to fund this free-to-play title, the exact model has not been finalized. Players will be able to pick between male and female characters and will use their alternate (non-robotic) modes for more than just transportation. At the game launch, players will be able to transform only into vehicles, but Jagex says that there are plans in the works for other forms such as animals. [Thanks to Austin for the tip!]
Luck awaits Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures on Friday the 13th
Traditionally, Friday the 13th bears the bad-luck brand. However, tomorrow, you have nothing to fret about if you play Free Realms or Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures because Sony Online Entertainment prepares to entertain its players with superstitious tomfoolery. If you pounce around the land of Free Realms near Champ Chatty and Camp Robbie Lake, be prepared to run into Jason Maskface. This creepy fellow wants to recruit you into scaring people by turning you into a banshee, skeleton, or other graveyard element. Additionally, each participant will receive the ability to turn into a "Scaredy" black cat. The Force is with players of CWA because all transforming holoprojectors go on sale tomorrow at 50% off. If you happen to wander around the main hall, veranda, or hanger of the Jedi Temple, don't be surprised if you or the people around you randomly turn into skeletal Clone Troopers, breaking into a dance -- it's the only way to frighten away the bad luck of Friday the 13th. [Source: SOE press release]
Sprint bringing Samsung Transform Ultra, Kyocera DuraCore to life November 13th?
Here are a couple more devices that will probably add another page to your Black Friday ads: the Samsung Transform Ultra and the Kyocera DuraCore. The leaked images above and below don't show any super-secret phones that we didn't already know about, but we do learn that November 13th is a likely launch date for both of them. The Transform Ultra, a QWERTY-packing Android 2.3 slider which already made its debut on Boost Mobile, looks destined to start off at $80, while the Direct Connect-capable DuraCore will go for $70. Anyone getting up early the day after Thanksgiving for either one? [Thanks, Mike]
Samsung Transform Ultra hitting Boost Mobile in October, we go hands-on
Pay as you go / QWERTY keyboard enthusiasts rejoice -- Samsung today formally announced the Transform Ultra. The familiar-looking Android 2.3-packing slider is destined for the contract-free world of Boost Mobile, featuring a 1GHz processor, a 3MP rear-facing camera (plus a front-facing VGA) and the content-happy Mobile ID preloaded. The handset is a bit on the bulky side, which is to be expected with a full keyboard inside -- but all in all, not a bad looking piece of hardware, particularly for the world of pre-paid, where selection is sometimes limited. The Transform Ultra will be hitting Boost on October 7th for $230.Press release after the break.%Gallery-133822%
Samsung Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab and Transform software updates coming March 21st: Froyo and / or Sprint ID in tow
This one isn't quite completely official just yet, but a helpful tipster has passed along the screenshot above which quite clearly suggests that some software updates are coming to a trio of Sprint's Samsung devices on March 21st. That includes a new and hopefully improved over-the-air upgrade to Android 2.2.1 for the Epic 4G, as well as an Android 2.2 update for the Transform, both of which also include a number of other additions like Flash 10.1 on the Epic and Swype on the Transform. Also not left out of the fun is Sprint's version of the Galaxy Tab, which is getting the Sprint ID update we saw first hand at CES back in January -- it's headed to the Epic and Transform as well.
Sony, Fujifilm patents are half-camera, half-origami
Point and shoot cameras are tricky to hold still, but the powers that be thought up a crazy fix -- build bending, sliding, transforming grips right into the body of the camera. Sony's patented the idea you see immediately above, which turns the sliding lens cover into a handle using tiny hinges (or perhaps electrorheological fluid, we're not sure). Amazingly enough, the basic concept actually isn't new: Sony itself references a Fujifilm patent whose cover-turned-grip protects the rear LCD instead. Neither look terribly comfortable, but which would you rather choose: a pocketable camera that snaps stable single-handed shots, or one that monopolizes your fingertips? Take a gander at one of Fujifilm's proposed designs after the break.
ASUS tablet lineup preview: Slider, Transformer, MeMO, and Slate EP121 go wild (with video!)
We just played with ASUS whole new tablet lineup, which is truly impressive not only in scope, but also for the fact that ASUS didn't just pick a few capacitive screen sizes and call it a day. Each of the four tablets (three Android-based Eee Pads and one Windows-based Eee Slate) has its own "twist" on what's come to seem traditional in modern day tablets, while also maintaining significant hardware and screen quality. We're not crazy about the 'MyWave' ASUS software skin on its Android models, but they at least seem serious about providing UI and apps for the entire experience -- they're not kidding around, is what we're saying. We've got a ton of pictures and impressions, so follow after the break as we break it all down! Update: We've added video as well. You'd be a fool not to click.
Samsung Transform review
With Epic 4G styling, a front-facing camera and a $150 post-rebate price, it's easy to mistake the Samsung Transform for a high-end phone. Don't. The reality is that it's a evolution of Samsung's mid-range Moment and Intercept more than anything else -- you're paying an additional $50 here to get a front-facing camera, an LED flash and a few welcome tweaks, but the same ho-hum performance plus a few new annoyances to boot. Where does it improve and where does it fail? Find out in our full review. %Gallery-105009% %Gallery-105008%
Samsung Transform, first hands-on!
Worried that the Samsung Transform would be a slatephone? Don't be -- it's more of a miniature Epic 4G. The Android 2.1 device's got a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, 800MHz processor and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, plus front- and rear-facing cameras for video chat -- though they're pretty low resolution and there's no 4G to pump their streaming video data. We just got hands-on with the phone, and came away mildly impressed -- though it's a little sluggish compared to the Epic, it's got much the same build quality, and the exact same hinge and buzzy vibrator if you want to get specific. There aren't a lot of fancy functions on the keyboard, but it's arguably got an even better layout that caters to landscape touch-typists like us -- the keys are plasticy little numbers like those on the Samsung Intercept, but they've got a nice click and this time, a logical arrangement. The screen's bright and clear enough, but unless our eyes deceive us it's no AMOLED. Expect it to drop on October 10th for $150 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and be sure to watch a Sprint rep show off the phone's Sprint ID functions after the break. Update: Video hands-on after the break! %Gallery-104447%
Sprint guns for mid-range Android: $149 Samsung Transform, $99 Sanyo Zio, and $49 LG Optimus S include 'Sprint ID'
The rumors were dead-on -- the Samsung Transform and Sanyo Zio are headed to Sprint this week, and by the end of the month the carrier will play host to an LG Optimus smartphone as well. Priced at $150, $100 and $50 (after $100 mail-in rebates) respectively, they're definitely not high-end phones, but if you're looking for a capable QWERTY messenger (with video chat!) the Samsung Transform just might fill the bill. In many ways it's a scaled down Epic 4G, with the same look and feel, though a somewhat slower 800MHz processor, a 3.5-inch screen, and no 4G support, obviously. We weren't terribly impressed with the Sanyo Zio the last time we saw it, but we're happy to hear it's now sporting Android 2.1 and hopefully some bugfixes, and we're eager to try the LG Optimus S simply because it's got Froyo at the $50 price point. Hardware's only half the story here, however, because these three phones will ship with something completely new -- a settings / apps / widgets / themes packaging solution the company's calling Sprint ID. Rather than fill the device with bloatware apps or overlay a custom UI, Sprint's installed a software button that takes you to a store exclusively designed for Sprint's new Android devices. You pick a package -- say, Business Pro -- and it downloads a specific set of apps, widgets and a custom wallpaper targeted at business owners, though if you'd rather decline you can use a package that's pretty much stock Android. The carrier's launching Sprint ID today with 17 partners and 13 free content packs, with more on the way. There's a Sprint exec waiting to walk you through Sprint ID in a video after the break!
Samsung Transform pictured in Sprint document, alongside Kyocera... err, Sanyo Zio?
Well, dear reader, we've got a pair of minor revelations for you, assuming this picture is real. First, that mid-range Android slatephone the Kyocera Zio is headed to Sprint, with the familiar Sanyo branding. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the elusive Samsung Transform has finally shown its face. Since that mug looks just like the Epic 4G, however, you can color us a bit confused -- Sprint's the only carrier without a keyboard-less Galaxy S, so that might make sense, but then why would they call it the Transform? As far as we can tell, it hasn't been tested for WiMAX, so perhaps it's an Epic without the 4G, plus a new form factor of some sort? Odds are we'll find out soon, given the company it's keeping: that BlackBerry Curve 3G 9330 got shipped off to Sprint just this last week.
Samsung Transform for Sprint: what is it?
We normally wouldn't post news about a Sprint device in the FCC without any juicy details on decent specs, but hear us out -- this one's kind of interesting. As our tipster noted to us, the prefix "SPH" on Samsung phones typically means that particular model is heading for Sprint, and an SPH-M920 got FCC approval not long ago. A quick search reveals that the M920 appears to be christened the "Transform," suggesting that this phone... well, transforms somehow. Of course, that could be as simple as a sliding keyboard or as strange and unique as Verizon's LG Versa -- we really have no idea -- but it's notable that the Transform has a WiFi certification under its belt for 802.11b / g / n, so we can assume the phone's no slouch and might even fall into smartphone (read: Android) territory. Any educated guesses out there? [Thanks, Celz]
DARPA's programmable matter initiative strives to make the ultimate Swiss Army knife
Remember Intel's shape shifting matter concepts? Well, those realty-bending cats at DARPA are looking to put their own spin on it with a Programmable Matter program of their own. As is their mantra, the long-term goals are pretty wild: researcher Dr. Mitchell R. Zakin is hopeful they can one day build a container that looks like a paint can and will form universal spare parts or tools such as hammers and wrenches based on the soldiers' needs, using a building material they call "mesomatter" that range anywhere from one hundred microns to a centimeter in size. Currently five months into the program's second phase, there's still another fifteen to go before they move on. By then, the group expect to be able to use the technology and assemble four or five different three-dimensional solids. Best be careful, if this falls in the wrong hands, we'll have more "leaked iPhone" images ever previously thought possible. [Via Wired]
Phat Loot Phriday: Orb of the Blackwhelp
This is the perfect hefty loot item -- it's easy enough for almost anyone to get, but relatively secret enough that most people don't know exactly where it is. When I came across it leveling up my Hunter this week, I knew it belonged right here.Name: Orb of the Blackwhelp (Wowwiki, Thottbot, Wowhead)Type: Common ConsumableDamage/Speed: N/AAbilities: Transforms you into a helpless Blackwhelp dragon for up to 15 minutes. You can't attack or cast spells while transformed. In fact, it's pretty limiting -- you can't even take damage while in this form. You can use self-buff abilities and drink potions and such (rumor is that Winterfall Firewater looks funny while the Orb is on), but the disguise is pretty fragile. And Wyrmcultists will see right through you in this disguise, as will any other mobs. We'll get to why that's important in a second. Oh, and coincidentally, Blizzard's item ID number for this item is 31337. Cute. How to Get It: Up in Blade's Edge, in the Wyrmcultist chain of quests leading out of Evergrove, you'll eventually find your way to Blackwing Coven, a cave west of the Grishna Arrakoa settlement (through the Wyrmskull Tunnel). There's a quest called "Meeting at Blackwing Coven," that requires you to kill Wyrmcultists, get "Costume Scraps" from them, and then use five of those to make a costume that will make you look like one of them.The actual quest has you meeting with an NPC and then leaving, but if you hurry (the costume only lasts three minutes), you can run over and also chat with another NPC on the opposite side of the cavern from the quest target. The NPC is called the "Wyrmcult Provisioner," and if you're in costume, he'll be friendly, and act as an actual vendor. Among a few other general goods (I stocked up on bullets while there), he also sells this item for a mere 2g 50s.And the good news is that even if you've done the quest already, you can go back, murder more Wyrmcultists for more Costume Scraps, and go visit the provisioner again. So even if you didn't catch this the first time around, it's still waiting for you in Blade's Edge.The Provisioner also sells the Wyrmcultist's Cloak, which is a nice Fire Resistance cloak, especially since it's so easy to get.Getting Rid of It: It's only got 3 charges, so use those and it's out of your life forever. You could also sell it back for 62s 50c, but unfortunately it's BoP so no auction house profits off of this one.
Video: Transformers transforming Xbox 360
That Summer robot blockbuster movie Transformers features all kinds of technological items changing form including cars, CD players and (our personal favorite) an Xbox 360. We've known about the transforming 360 for a while, but now we have video proof! Embedded above is a clip from the Transformers movie featuring a premium Xbox 360 turning into a Decepticon right out of the box. It's a short clip, but if you listen close enough you'll hear the signature sound of the Xbox 360 starting up. Yes ... our inner geeks are more than satisfied.[Via ComNetSlash]
