Hasta La Gadget!

DarbeeVision’s Visual Presence technology has been sprucing up moving pictures for ages, but until now, its greater visual depth and detail could only be added in post-processing. However, there’s a new version that works by scanning 165 million pixels per second and applies its visual voodoo in real-time. It’s a firmware solution that can be put into any device with a processor and a screen, and the company is currently in talks with TV manufacturers to get its tech baked in. Darbee has also partnered up with Sunflex to construct a Snakebyte-branded module that does the Darbee deed externally as an HDMI pass-through. In its current form, the system’s not ready for prime time, as it’s comprised of three circuit boards screwed together in an unwieldy package. When it hits the market later this year, the company claims it’ll be in a plastic case the size of a remote control.

We got to see the system in person at E3 2011 and found the results to be a mixed bag. Much like Belkin’s RazorVision we saw years ago, Visual Presence promises to make your picture more lifelike and detailed. In the demo we saw, graphical meadows benefitted from the enhancement — we could see individual blades of grass waving to and fro with much more clarity. However, castle walls and textured garments looked like someone cranked up the contrast to 11, which created too much visual noise for our liking. The good news is, the effect is adjustable, so you can dial in the level of detail to suit the situation and your individual taste. Sound good? Well, the device should ship by October and retail for around $150.

DarbeeVision teams with Sunflex to launder your HDMI video, give your picture added depth and clarity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer’s Sixense electromagnetic orb threw around plenty of intradimensional portals at CES, but sadly the company wouldn’t let us play. Today at E3 2011, however, we were finally handed the reins. Those twin sticks are impressively responsive and accurate in the specially-made Sixense levels for Portal 2, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun to physically stretch out blocks, reposition portals with a twist of the wrist and physically throw objects through the air. However, we got the impression that outside of games particularly designed to work with the sticks, it might be a different story. Waving the right stick around works pretty adequately for controlling the mouse cursor, but when we exited out to Windows, the sticks didn’t work — apparently, controls have to be mapped separately in a desktop client to work with the OS and other games or programs. We don’t think many PC gamers will mind the six-foot range and wired tether here, but it does restrict those hoping to kick back with a game on the big screen.

We also got to try Razer’s new “4G” dual-sensor technology, which will be rolling out to new Mamba and Imperator gaming mice right away — it pairs a laser sensor and an optical sensor for more precision when lifting mice off a surface for advanced first-person shooter mousing techniques, not to mention 6400dpi tracking. We took it for a spin with a handy Razer Mamba, and we immediately fell in love — whether we flung the mouse around haphazardly, furiously swiped it across the mousepad or simply tried for a quick headshot, it kept up with us. The cursor does creep if you lift and drop very rapidly, though, and without an original Mamba to compare with, it’s hard to say just how much better it was. Thankfully, that won’t be much of a factor in your purchasing decision: you’ll pay the exact same $130 for the Mamba or $80 for the Imperator when they hit shelves this month. PR after the break.

Continue reading Razer totes Hydra sticks and 6400dpi dual-sensor mice to E3 2011, we go hands-on

Razer totes Hydra sticks and 6400dpi dual-sensor mice to E3 2011, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo’s E3 2011 keynote yesterday gave the world its first official look at the all-new Wii U hardware plus (we thought) a glimpse at the graphical capabilities of its next console. As it turns out, the impressive list of upcoming games for the 2012-bound console was just that, a list, with the visuals we saw on screen coming from PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of said titles. Nintendo of America chief Reggie Fils-Aime has confirmed that to be the case in an interview with GameTrailers, where he also points out that the eventual Wii U games will look at least as good as their PS3 / 360 counterparts. Which is why, in his eyes, it’s okay to show us those games being played on the competition’s (current-gen) hardware. He does remind us that the Wii U will be delivering graphics at a 1080p resolution, and points to the garden tech demo that also graced E3 as an indicator of what can be done with Nintendo’s next console. That’s all well and good, but maybe tell us in advance next time, Reggie?

Nintendo admits its Wii U highlight reel was spiced up with PS3 and Xbox 360 footage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 06:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play is clearly all about gaming, so we weren’t surprised to see a fair amount of E3 footage dedicated to the PlayStation Phone. Minecraft was among the 20 odd games on display at the booth, and the version we had a chance to play with happens to look remarkably similar to that demo we saw pop up a couple weeks ago. The game will be exclusive to the Play when it hits online stores in Q3, but there’s no word on pricing just let — though here’s to hoping it’ll be free. In the demo we played, you select your blocks on the touchscreen — or you can just cycle through them with the circle and square buttons. You won’t find Creepers, crafting, or night mode in this version, but we’re still a few months away from the launch, so there’s a chance we’ll see those features when it’s fully baked. You’ll need to wait a bit longer before playing on your own device, but check out our hands-on video after the break for a taste of Mojang’s pocket-sized Minecraft.

Tim Stevens contributed to this report.

Continue reading Minecraft Pocket Edition on Xperia Play hands-on (video)

Minecraft Pocket Edition on Xperia Play hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It looks like the product of a fevered fanboy wetdream. A 6.2-inch touchscreen, surrounded by dual analog sticks and oodles of buttons. Like the portable hardcore gamers wish Nintendo made. But it’s the most incredible controller ever. More »