Hasta La Gadget!

We had opportunity to catch Tactus at SID earlier this year, though with news that the Tactus keyboard was new and improved for CES we had no choice but to take a quick peek. What’s new? Well, Tactus has been sampling some new coating materials attempting to reduce glare — and succeeding — cut down on the controller’s size by 70% and in so doing also doubled up the speed that the keyboard activates. As a refresher, the system includes a reservoir stored in the device, a controller to move the fluid into the tixels — yes, tixels, Tactile Pixels — and software to control the entire system. Once activated, the tixels inflate and become squishy that offer tactile keyboard-like feedback. We like this, though it’s still early days, the system works surprisingly well. Application may eventually vary from gaming to accessibility with future offerings adding a complete matrix of independently addressable tixels. Take a peek at the gallery and video after the break.

Continue reading Tactus morphing touchscreen keyboard hands-on (with video)

Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets

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Olympus is taking the spirit of CES to heart and then some, announcing six brand new cameras during the trade show. These cameras range from sleek and slim to tough and rugged, so there should be something for almost everyone with this new range. Cameras included in this grand CES 2013 showing include the Stylus Tough TG-2 iHS, Stylus Tough TG-830 iHS, Stylus Tough TG-630 iHS, Stylus SH-50MR iHS, Stylus SZ-16 iHS, and Stylus SZ-15, each of them prepared for a 2013 release. This week we got the opportunity to get our hands on the full lot.

Stylus Tough TG-2 iHS

We’ll start with the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-2 iHS, which is for those who need a camera that will stand up to abuse but still takes good shots. Most times it seems you can’t have both, but that’s what Olympus is shooting for with the TG-2, offering a 12MP backlit CMOS sensor in a package that’s waterproof up to 50 feet, and if you feel like taking your camera diving, the cmaera includes a manometer that will keep track of your depth and warn you when you’re closing in on 50 feet.

Of course, a camera can’t exactly be called “tough” if it’s only waterproof, but thankfully the TG-2 is also crushproof up to 220 pounds, shockproof from heights of up to 6.6 feet, freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and dustproof. It also makes use of multi-motion movie image stabilization to create a smoother video regardless of movement while recording. As you can tell from the name of the camera, it boasts the iHS family of technologies to make it easier to snap pictures in less-than-favorable shooting conditions.

The TG-2 is capable of recording video in full HD, and it comes equipped with a TruePic
VI image processor and a high-speed f2.0 lens. The camera is also expandable, and supports both Olympus’ fisheye converter lens and teleconverter lens. The TG-2 comes in black or red, and sports a 4x optical zoom (which can go up to 14x zoom with the camera’s microscopic macro function), 8x super resolution zoom, and a 3-inch OLED screen around the back.

At $379.99, the TG-2 is the most expensive camera Olympus introduced today, so be prepared to plop down some cash if you want to take it home. Olympus says the TG-2 will be available starting in March.

Stylus Tough TG-830 iHS

Next we come to the TG-830, which has more than a few things in common with its slightly more expensive brother, the TG-2. The TG-830 is waterproof like the TG-2, but only to 33 feet. It also happens to be shockproof up to 6.6 feet, crushproof up to 220 pounds, dustproof, and freezeproof, so you’re getting an extra rugged camera with this bad boy. It uses a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor, features a 3-inch LCD screen, and is capable of recording full HD video.

(Also pictured at the head of this article.)

With the TG-830, you’ve got features like HDR backlight adjustment, smart panorama, and high-speed sequential shooting, so Olympus is trying to make this camera easier to use in difficult conditions. You’ll be able to shoot HD video at 60fps thanks to 60i Movie from Olympus, while dual-image stabilization will do its part to make sure that image blur stays under control. You’ll also have a range of colors to choose from, including silver, black, red, and blue. This one is slightly cheaper than the TG-2, coming in with a price tag of $279.99. Like the TG-2, Olympus is planning to launch the TG-830 in March.

Stylus Tough TG-630 iHS

If you want the same kind of durability as the TG-830 but don’t want to spend quite so much, the TG-630 might be worth a look. Like the TG-830, this one is waterproof up to 16 feet, shockproof to 5.5 feet, freezeproof, and dustproof, so the only difference between the two is a lack of crushproofing in the TG-630. It actually has many of the same features as the TG-830 as well, including backlight adjustment and sequential shooting, along with TruePic VI image processing and full HD video functionality.

The TG-630 features a backlit sensor CMOS sensor and a number of ease of use features, including sequential shooting, backlit HDR, handheld starlight, and dual image stabilization. The TG-630 also features a number of “Magic Art Filters” that you can apply to photos and an HDMI port so you can hook it up to you TV to watch your videos and view your photos.

Note: the screen protector the device ships with is still on the device in this photo – the real deal is not quite so strange looking (glassy smooth).

Available in four different colors – blue, red, white, and black – the TG-630 sports a price tag of $199.99, which shouldn’t be too much for those looking for a decent camera on the cheap. Expect to see this guy hitting shelves in March.

Stylus SH-50MR iHS

Now it’s time to move away from the rough and tumble bunch and onto the Olympus Stylus SH-50MR iHS. Olympus promises that this one comes with “all the bells and whistles,” including 5-axis video stabilization and 3-axis image stabilization. You can use the camera’s photo-in-video feature along with the 16MP CMOS sensor to snap pictures while you’re recording HD video, which is a handy feature indeed. Like the TG-830, you’ll also have 60i Movie at your disposal, which lets you capture 60fps HD video.

You’ll have 24x optical zoom and 48x super resolution zoom to take advantage of here, and Olympus is shooting for increased ease-of-use with this camera as well, including features like hand-held starlight and HDR backlight adjustment. There’s also a 3-inch LCD touch screen around the back, which allows for easy image editing on the fly. Available in only white and black, the SH-50MR doesn’t feature the wide array of color options its brothers do, and at $299.99, you’ll have to make a pretty significant investment before you take one home. Like al of the other cameras introduced today, the SH-50MR should be hitting shelves in March.

Stylus SZ-16 iHS

Next we come to the Stylus SZ-16 iHS, which once again features a 16MP CMOS sensor. Many of the other talking points with the cameras introduced today are present in SZ-16, including 1080p video capabilities and multi-motion movie image stabilization. We’ve got 24x optical zoom and 48x super resolution zoom standard on this bad boy, along with a 25mm wide angle lens.

A 3-inch LCD screen has taken up residence on the back, and ease-of-use features out of the box include HDR backlight adjustment and high-speed sequential shooting. It sounds quite similar to some of the other cameras that were introduced today (including a March launch), but this one will only set you back $229.99. Something to consider if you’ve been on the lookout for a decent camera that isn’t going to break the bank.

Stylus SZ-15

Finally, we have the SZ-15, which is in very many ways a more affordable (and less feature-rich) SZ-16. You’ll be working with a 14MP CMOS sensor out of the box, which is upgradable to 16MP if you don’t mind parting with a little extra cash. This appears to be smaller than the other cameras we’ve seen today, though it only features 24x optical zoom. Super resolution zoom is available as an extra, so that kind of functionality won’t come standard.

We’re also getting a bit of a downgrade with the TruePic image processor, as this one is only a TruePic III+ rather than TruePic IV. The magic art filters we saw with the TG-630 are present in the SZ-15, as is a 3-inch LCD screen. At $199.99 and a March release window, the SZ-15 comes in three different colors: silver, red, and black.

So there you have it folks – Olympus announced quite the line up of cameras here at CES, so if you’ve been searching for a new snapper, one of these might be worth considering. We’re sure we’ll be hearing more about these cameras in the days and weeks to come, so keep an eye out for those details. Of course, we’ll have plenty more from CES 2013 coming up here at SlashGear, so stay here with us!

Olympus’ full 2013 rough-and-tumble camera range hands-on is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Lego’s third-generation Mindstorms kit has been redesigned to appeal to both kids desperate to craft and modders looking for even more customizability. With assembly instructions now provided by a 3D animated diagram on an iPad app, this isn’t the Lego you’ll have remember from childhood. If you’d like to see what it’s like in action, head on past the break to watch the video.

Continue reading Hands-on with Lego’s Mindstorms EV3 kit (video)

Filed under: Robots

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That slick-looking piece of hardware we know you looked at while clicking in here is Cambridge Soundworks‘ Bluetooth Oontz XL. Also on display was its bigger brother — at least as far as price and battery is concerned — the Oontz Ultra. The Oontz XL rings in at $149 and has been battery tested to run for 10 hours. The Oontz Ultra lacks the garish orange swath of branding but picks up an extra 6-hours of battery life, speakerphone functionality and the requisite price bump bringing it up to $199. Both of the Oontz portable speakers sounded good even in a room filled with constant aural distraction, heck, the fact we could hear them at all was a bit of a surprise. The housing is soft touch plastic with a metal grill up front, power, Bluetooth and volume buttons up top and DC in, AUX in and a USB port on the back. No word on when these’ll hit retail but we’ll update should we find out more.

James Trew contributed to this report

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals

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Remember when Xi3 announced a Kickstarter project for its modular computers late last year? Well, those machines are here today at CES, thanks in no small part to some lofty backing from Valve. We got a first look at its latest mini-PC, code-named Piston, tonight — and though a more comprehensive demo is to come, we walked away with some impressions nonetheless. Of course, Valve wouldn’t back this system if it didn’t have some serious graphics chops. It’s optimized to run Valve’s Steam platform — and specifically big-picture mode — and to that end it packs a quad-core chip. Most specs remain vague, though the Piston apparently offers up to 1TB of storage. The package is tiny yet rugged, with an aluminum chassis that’s made to resist heat (and that will certainly come in handy during gaming sessions). Xi3 is also touting the system’s low energy consumption; it runs on just 40W. And it’s somewhat future-proof, too, with a modular motherboard that lets you swap out components when newer tech becomes available. Our hands-on gallery will have to tide you over till we get a full walkthrough at Xi3’s booth tomorrow.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

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