Hasta La Gadget!

And it looks like Nintendo’s answer to Microsoft’s Project Natal is… a pulse detector. Yep, Ninty’s just announced the Wii Vitality Sensor, a finger sensor which attaches to the Wiimote to read your pulse. Details on how the accessory is going to be used in games are pretty vague, but it appears the idea is to check stress, help you relax, and just generally chill out and be groovy. That won’t happen for a while yet, though: the Vitality Sensor was described as a “look into the future,” so we’re guessing we’ve got a wait in store.

Update: Check out the full press release here.

Continue reading Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor detects your pulse

Filed under: Gaming

Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor detects your pulse originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You’ve read about it, maybe even dreamed about it in your fantasies of a Microsoft Pink smartphone drizzled with Zune media. Now we’ve got Tegra taking center stage at Computex with a dozen “mobile internet devices” powered by the Tegra processor, the “world’s smallest and lowest power computer-on-a-chip” according to NVIDIA. Of notable importance, the latest Tegra press release contradicts the Mobinnova Elan release by claiming 1080p video playback is supported by Tegra, not just 720p. Something we saw for ourselves (and had confirmed by NVIDIA) during our hands-on with the Elan.

Now, get this; NVIDIA is using the term MID unlike Intel uses MID even though the terminology is of Intel origin. Instead of referring to handheld devices for consumers, NVIDIA’s MIDs are classed as Tegra-based netbooks and tablets. In other words, the 8.9-inch Elan is a MID. Ugh.

Semantics aside, the platform is smokin’ hot with promise offering the following benefits:

• 25 days of music or 10-hours of 1080p video playback on a single charge
• video games play at up to 46 frames per second
• GPU accelerated Adobe Flash animations (huzzah for Hulu!)
• always-on processors for instant access to the network
• 3G, WiFi, and WiMax solutions support

Great on paper, but still not available for purchase. Rest assured, we’ll be hands-on with more Tegra devices on the quick.

Update: Tegra devices are expected to land before 2009 is through, priced around $200 or less with carrier subsidies.

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

NVIDIA unveils 12 Tegra devices, 25 days of music or 10 hours of 1080p video on single charge (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you had any doubt about the reach of Nokia, the world’s leading mobile handset maker, then check this: Nokia just announced the simultaneous June launch of its flagship N97 in more than 75 countries. We already had hints of this for the US and Western Europe but it’s good to have it official. And with N97 chatter on the uptick recently, we’re expecting to see this 3.5-inch QWERTY touchscreen slider running S60 5th sooner rather than later.

Update: Available June 19th for £500 sim-free in the UK or June 26th if you want it bundled with a contract. Anyone else seeing local launch dates?

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia N97 hitting 75 countries in June (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, it’s real. Now you’ll be able to change a tire… virtually. At E3 today, Microsoft finally took the wraps off the that rumored motion controller we’d been hearing about. Apparently the small, black device — codenamed “Natal” — will allow for an astoundingly wide range of actions by utilizing a group of sensors (the box itself sits beneath your TV), and the accessory will be capable of juggling multiple users during a single session. The demo Microsoft showed off included a skateboarding game (replete with a young man “air” ollie-ing), and a family playing a racing game (the dad was changing a tire, the daughter driving).

The add-on will offer features such as auto sign-in for players to Xbox Live (based on complex facial recognition), and sports extremely detailed body tracking which will be able to follow the individual movements of separate limbs. During the press event, the company demoed a painting app, which lets you use your entire body to handle virtual painting supplies, allowing you to do things like throw buckets of paint onto a canvas. Another title was shown off which featured a woman interacting with a young boy on the screen — one of the company’s creepier demos in recent memory. Unfortunately for us, Microsoft says the device won’t be released during 2009. We’re working on snagging some face time (literally!) with a demo unit, so stay tuned… E3 is off to a wild start!

Update: Video added after the break!

Continue reading Microsoft announces “Project Natal” motion controller for Xbox 360!

Filed under: Gaming

Microsoft announces “Project Natal” motion controller for Xbox 360! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon just dropped word that the new Kindle DX will start shipping out on June 10th, a pleasant improvement on the previously vague “summer” release date. The device is still available for pre-order, and shipments of the $489, 9.7-inch, PDF-capable ebook will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Filed under: Handhelds

Amazon Kindle DX to start shipping on June 10th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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