A couple of years ago we looked at a couple of film cameras that you had to assemble before you could use them. The Bigshot camera is just like those cameras, except it’s digital and has a companion website that includes a lot of related information. The idea is to introduce people of all ages not just to photography but to technology in general.
The Bigshot digital camera kit comes with all of the parts and tools you need to build and process your photos, including a screwdriver, a micro-USB to USB cable and a pair of 3D glasses. That’s right, once you’ve put it together you can use the camera to take 3D images as well as panoramic shots to go with the normal mode. The camera has an internal battery that you recharge using the cable, but it also has a dynamo and a hand crank so you can power it yourself. It also has a free software for processing and sharing images.
But as I said earlier, the kit is only half of the Bigshot’s appeal. Its website has dozens of pages of helpful and easy to understand articles related to the camera. There are pages explaining the science behind the parts, an assembly guide and more. The articles make it a lot easier and fun to learn while you assemble and use the camera.
You can order the Bigshot camera from its official website for $89 (USD). I wish Ben Heck or some other modder would release a similar kit for a gaming device.
Last year when I saw YEI Technology’s Unreal Engine demo of their 3-Space Sensors, I mentioned how it might be able to integrate with the Oculus Rift for a more immersive virtual reality experience. Turns out the company had the same plan all along. YEI recently launched a Kickstarter fundraiser for PrioVR, an improved and affordable version of the 3-Space Sensors.
The PrioVR sensors are significantly smaller than the 3-Space Sensors and will also include an input unit. The latter is for plugging in additional external input, i.e. physical controllers such as a joystick or a gamepad. Data from sensors and input units will be sent to a “centralized wearable wireless hub architecture”, which in turn will beam the data to a base station that has a USB output.
PrioVR currently comes in two developer kits: PrioVR Lite includes 11 sensors, 1 input unit, the wireless hub, the base station plus the straps needed to wear all of the electronics. The PrioVR Pro kit adds 6 more sensors and 1 more input unit to the Lite kit. As expected, the kits will come with SDK and API so developers can adapt or build games around PrioVR. YEI Technology also said that “major game engines will be supported” and that they will also release “demo projects and open source code examples.”
Pledge at least $450 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a PrioVR dev kit as a reward. I wonder what gaming companies and console makers think of all these virtual reality hardware. The Omni VR treadmill in particular seems to be in direct competition with the PrioVR. I also find it hilarious that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft seem to have given up on motion-controlled gaming when in fact they popularized it with their respective efforts, especially with the Wii and the Kinect. I guess they weren’t able to connect the dots to virtual reality. Perhaps no one really did until the Oculus Rift hit the scene.
However, while the PrioVR and other VR hardware have immense potential, I think it’s safe to say that we’re still years away from seeing consumer versions of any of them. I think the manufacturers need to sort out who their partners will be and eventually release a complete package for consumers and game developers alike. They can’t expect us to buy various VR hardware separately without knowing which games they’ll work with. Remember, as of now these sensors and headsets are separate from PCs and consoles – you know, the machines that actually run games. If folks are already balking at the Xbox One’s price, imagine how they’ll react when they find out you have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a console or a gaming PC, $300 for the Oculus Rift and then $450 more for the sensors. Holy crap. A subscription-based cloud gaming setup – with free-to-play games – almost makes sense from my wallet’s perspective.
Graphic designer/tee fighter/Red Bubble squadron member Huck Blade mashed up Red Bull’s logo with the Alliance Starfighter Corps’ famous call sign. If Red Bull gives you wings, Red Five gives you two X-wings.
Fly to Red Bubble and order the t-shirt for $25 (USD). Over.
Nintendo remade The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker in high definition for their sinking ship the Wii U. Nerdache Cakes on the other hand remade the game’s characters in edible 3D. Her lucky customer had cel shading and ate it.
Nerdache Cakes said that “the whole ship is cake, while the King of Red Lions is carved foam and chocolate.” Mmmm, foam.
CineFringe Film Festival is a small group based in Edinburgh dedicated to showcasing the work of independent filmmakers from around the world. They are free to enter, but they still need money to operate, which is why they turned to Kickstarter to raise funds for the next three years of their operations. To entice backers, they’re offering DVDs of the 2013 CineFringe Festival short films as rewards. They come in a very interesting packaging.
The short films of the festival are stored in two 8cm DVDs that are in turn stored in a VHS tape. The tape even has a retro paper case.
The tape has been decommissioned, but CineFringe will include a “re-commissioning kit” should you want to use the tape again.
Pledge at least £25 (~$39 USD) on Kickstarter to get this old-fashioned reward. If I were CineFringe they should go wild with their idea to get more backers. A higher pledge should get you the DVDs stored in a VHS tape stored in a Super 8 cartridge. An even higher pledge? Get the DVDs in a VHS tape in a Super 8 cartridge in a 16mm film canister. The highest pledge? How about a Blu-ray disc and digital copies of the films? And a foot massage.
If you’re planning on buying the NVIDIA Shield mainly for its ability to stream PC games, you might want to try out this crude workaround shared by Linus Tech Tips. The great thing about this setup is that you don’t need to have a compatible NVIDIA GPU to stream games from your PC like you do with the actual Shield. The bad thing about the hack is that the quality of the stream will depend heavily on your router and smartphone. But that’s why it’s called a Ghetto Shield.
To make your own portable PC gaming setup, you just need a smartphone running iOS, Android or Windows Phone. Then download Splashtop, a free program that lets you control a desktop computer from a mobile device. That’s right: this “hack” will not only let you play PC games away from your PC, you can do a lot more with your PC using Splashtop and a mobile device. Install the required apps on your device and computer, attach the compatible controller to your PC and off you go.
There are many other remote desktop programs aside from Splashtop, so if you’re more comfortable with another program or if Splashtop isn’t working for you feel free to try its alternatives. The metal sheet that connects your phone to the controller is optional but it will make your setup more Shield-like.
That wasn’t bad at all, considering the actual thing costs $300.
A few months ago we found out about the Durovis Dive, a virtual reality gaming headset for Android smartphones. A similar device called vrAse is now looking for funding on Kickstarter. The company behind it claims that future versions will be compatible with all smartphones.
Like the Dive, vrAse uses your smartphone to display 3D content. vrAse is also highly customizable. For instance, you can change its case or its optics to fit your needs. In its default state, its optics can emulate a 200-inch movie screen, though they don’t specify what distance that would be viewed at. Most of all, you can easily upgrade its “hardware.” All it takes is to swap in a better phone.
Pledge at least £48 (~$74 USD) on Kickstarter to get a vrAse case as a reward. But before you pledge know that the Kickstarter release of vrAse will only be compatible with six smartphones: the iPhone 5, the HTC One, the Sony Xperia Z, the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
I’m excited to see 3D gaming being more and more affordable, but I don’t think we can compare vrAse to the Rift. First off, the vrAse is only compatible with media and games that are in Side by Side (SbS) format. Second, it doesn’t seem to have its own head-tracking software, which is a big part of what makes the Rift so immersive. Perhaps developers can integrate head-tracking into their games or apps if vrAse takes off. Finally, the Rift has a distinct advantage in terms of hardware, because PCs are more powerful than even the latest smartphones. Still, I think many people would love to enjoy immersive 3D video or mobile games for the right price. Perhaps Dive and vrAse are on to something here.
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Unless the book’s cover has the logo of the Nintendo 64 on it, along with a power switch and a cartridge slot. Also when the book wasn’t actually a book to begin with. I therefore judge the Nintendomicon to be guilty of third degree awesomeness.
The Nintendomicon was made by Redditor JHood_. He carved holes out of a wood and leather box that looks like a book. He intends to give it to his brother as a classy yet geeky send off gift. The Nintendomicon is JHood_’s first mod, so understandably it’s far from perfect. For one, it has no air vent, although it does have a fan. He also bungled its name, calling it “Nintendomnicrom” when he actually meant to spell “Nintendonomicon.” In the end he accepted the renaming suggestion of a fellow Redditor.
The missing reset button though? That was intentional. JHood_ said he hates the button.
We’ve seen a LEGO creation that can draw, but I was pleasantly surprised to realize that you can also use LEGO to draw. That’s what Chris McVeigh is doing with his Brick Sketches series. He makes 12″ x 16″ portraits of geeky characters not with ink or paint but with LEGO.
Speaking with My Modern Met, Chris said he was inspired by his artist friends, who were creating miniature sketches. You might think that using LEGO would be easier than using ink, but it has its own challenges as well. Chris said that “it can be a real challenge to find just the right combination of plates to represent a specific character. Adding to the complexity is that not all parts are available in all colors, and worse yet, I may not have all the parts on hand. “ He’s done a great job so far though!
Black Milk Clothing’s combination of body hugging fit and geeky coating has been a winning formula so far. A lot of people love (being seen) wearing them. Even more people love looking at their product shots. The shop’s officially licensed Mass Effect line is no different.
The leggings, dresses and swimsuits are available in a variety of designs, including the N7 insignia, a drawing of Tali and pages taken from what I assume to be the official Mass Effect comics.
Stop calibrating and head to Black Milk’s online shop to order. They cost between about $76 to $89 (USD) each.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
