Hasta La Gadget!

And you thought those Recon-Zeal Transcend goggles from last fall were hot stuff. Truth be told, they still are, but Recon Instruments’ plans for the future make the present seem downright mundane. Here at CES, the company has just revealed its next-generation technology, which should be ingrained in its next line of specs. The big news here is that the revised platform will be based on Android, enabling developers to craft apps and in turn, owners to customize their GPS-enabled goggles in ways not previously possible. Moreover, the technology will be available separately from the company’s own eyewear, with a “snap fit” version ready made to work with Uvex, Alpina and Briko products. Wearers will then be able to navigate through the interactive LCD in real-time with the use of a wireless remote, and Recon hopes to eventually craft the first pair of goggles with a real-time navigational system. You’ll also get Bluetooth capabilities, allowing users to connect with their smartphones and see their music playlists, caller ID and text messages. Head on past the break for the full rundown, and do your best to not get those hopes too high. As if it’s not too late for that already.

Continue reading Recon details next-gen GPS goggle technology: Android, Bluetooth, endless fantasies

Recon details next-gen GPS goggle technology: Android, Bluetooth, endless fantasies originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All the cool kids are doing HD video chatting. You want to be a cool kid, don’t you? FaceVsion wants you to be, introducing the new TouchCam V1. It’s a follow-up to the N1 that we reviewed last year and generally liked, fixing our biggest criticism: cost. That camera launched at $120 while the new V1 will sell for just $69.99. It has the on-board H.264 encoding and 720p sensor that SkypeHD likes, and a simple (if somewhat budgety looking) design that won’t look too out of place on a lower-end laptop — so long as it as a Core 2 Duo processor or the equivalent. Look for it to start shipping sometime in the first quarter.

Continue reading FaceVsion’s TouchCam V1 does SkypeHD at 720p for $69.99

FaceVsion’s TouchCam V1 does SkypeHD at 720p for $69.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well it’s official boys and girls — Apple’s Mac App Store is live as of this morning, and available to use and abuse via a Snow Leopard update (version 10.6.6 to be exact). The OS X application market takes the company’s wildly successful iOS App Store to its logical conclusion, bringing an orderly, structured app buying experience to desktops and laptops across the globe. The Store will launch with over 1,000 titles, including Apple standards like the iLife suite broken out into separate parts (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand) selling for $14.99 each, Pages, Keynote, and Numbers for $19.99 apiece, and the bank-breaking Aperture for $79.99. Of course there’ll also be third-party apps present at launch, including Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, Pixelmator, Cheetah 3D, and Flight Control HD (yes, a port of the iPad version).

The software itself will be a separate application that functions much like the App Store, providing update notifications and a universal installation process. That process, mind you, will be part of the requirements for getting your application into the store, along with Apple’s famous content policies — so we’re sure we’ll see some irate devs with painful rejection stories. Or maybe not. We know that the company is planning on getting lots of familiar developers into the Store, but we also know that some of what Apple is looking for may not gel with, say… Adobe’s installation procedures (or worse). Regardless, right now the number of apps available is small, but you can expect it to grow fast now that every Mac user will get a crack at this software. We’re going to be doing a much deeper dive on the experience and report back — until then, if you’re using it, let us know what you think in comments.

Apple’s Mac App Store goes live originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LAS VEGAS — TomTom and Nike have teamed up to make the Nike+ SportWatch GPS, a smart-looking wrist-mounted running computer that also doubles as a watch.

The SportWatch has built in GPS, of course, which offers much better distance accuracy than a pedometer (although it will also pair with a shoe-based Nike+ Sensor) and also lets you see your routes later after uploading to the Nike+ site. As you run, you can choose between various customizable data views. The high-contrast display will show time, distance, pace, and calories burned. You can also access a history of your previous runs, import your personal records from Nike+ and even hook up a heart monitor.

When you plug the SportWatch into a Mac or PC (via USB) it will automatically upload your data and you have access to the new TomTom-powered maps, showing elevation details as well as the route and distance. The watch also has a few rather odd “motivational” features that could prove more annoying than inspiring. For intance, there is “recognition (or “Attaboys”) for personal records”, and “Post-run acknowledgement and encouragement”. The thought of a watch giving me a virtual pat-on-the back is embarrassing more than anything.

The SportWatch will go on sale April 1st, price to be decided.

Nike and TomTom Unveil Game-Changing Nike+ Sportwatch GPS [Nike]

See Also:

• Nike+
• Nike+ App Ditches Dongle, Gains GPS
• Nike+ Heart-Rate Monitor On Sale June 1st
• Swimsense Stroke-Counter is Like a Nike+ for Swimmers
• Nike+ Mashup: Mario Kart Ghost Racers on Real Streets
• Nike+ Hacked to Open Cars From Afar

We’ve been told in the past that our mean, hate-filled looks could kill, but we never took that literally. Now, if Britain’s BAE Systems has its way, that phrase could seriously have a whole new meaning. The company has developed an RAF helmet that will allow pilots to deploy and steer their weapons by turning their heads. It all sounds incredibly horrifying and futuristic, of course, but the technology which enables the new gadget is pretty intense, as well. The helmet is fitted with an optical head tracker, with targets popping up in the visor, which provides a supposedly highly accurate missile fire with low latency, at any altitude. The system has been extensively tested on the Eurofighter Typhoon, but is modular in styling so that it can be fitted to many systems. There’s no word on when this tech will see actual action, but we have our reservations about it, so we hope they take their time.

Striker integrated display helmet has something to tell you about that old saying ‘if looks could kill’… originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 07:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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