Hasta La Gadget!

Adidas is known for making connected shoes — but never quite as linked-up as a Nash Money concept making its appearance late into the London Olympics. The Social Media Barricade weaves the guts of a phone and a basic two-line LCD into a running shoe, letting the footwear take Twitter updates very literally on the run through a public account. Even the signature Adidas stripes change their hue through remote control. Before anyone gets visions of athletes checking congratulatory tweets after the 100-meter sprint, just remember that it’s an idea rather than a production blueprint: although Adidas is quick to call the Social Media Barricade the “future of athlete connectivity,” the only athletes putting eyes on a pair right now are those swinging by the Olympics’ media lounge for interviews. Knowing this, we can still imagine some future shoes padding runners’ egos at the finish line during the 2016 Rio games.

Continue reading Adidas Social Media Barricade shoe concept moves tweets to the track (video)

Filed under: Wearables

Adidas Social Media Barricade shoe concept moves tweets to the track (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week continues to be all about the London 2012 Olympics, with most shows diving out of the way of NBC’s ratings juggernaut. We do have a few premiers and several season finales though, so give the schedule a close look to make sure you don’t miss a favorite’s wrap-up. Also on deck is a healthy slate of preseason football, while we’ve got most of the national broadcasts listed, you’ll want to keep an eye out for your local team. Also worth noting? A slew of flicks hitting Blu-ray this week including personal favorites Clue and Adventures in Babysitting. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Olympics
For a second week in a row, it’s all about the Olympics, in one way or another. Either you’re watching and keeping up with early starting schedules from London or you’re not watching, and your favorite summer shows are on hiatus. No matter which side you’re on, things wrap up this weekend with the Closing Ceremony, although not soon enough for NBC to try to slipstream two sitcom premieres off of the Games’ popularity with Go On and Animal Practice.
(All Week, NBC & NBCOlympics.com)

Shark Week
Discovery’s Shark Week kicks off its 25th year Sunday night with two specials,including Air Jaws Apocalypse and Impossible Shot. This time around the big hook is internet integration since it’s hosted by “internet celebrity” Philip DeFranco, has tie-ins with Discovery’s iPad app for second screen info, and encourages voting on the Facebook / Twitter page to determine what the robotic Sharkzilla will crush next. Whatever, as long as they bring the sharks, we’ll always be there.
(August 12th, Discovery, 9PM)

Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell
Produced by Chris Rock, this comedy series has been pushed as hard by FC as NBC is pushing its new premieres for the week, but with Chris Rock as a producer and the network’s track record (Louie, Wilfred — we’ll forget Brand X and the Charlie Sheen show) we actually might check it out. Six episodes long, its run begins this week broadcasting Bell’s commentary and sketch comedy — check out a quick behind the scenes look embedded after the break.

Continue reading Must See HDTV (August 6th – 12th)

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Must See HDTV (August 6th – 12th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Technology companies have been lining up to milk the London Olympics spotlight for all it’s worth. BMW isn’t shy about taking its turn, but it’s not looking to cash in — directly, we mean. The automaker is instead using its just-opened i Store to showcase everything electric and hybrid for downtown visitors who aren’t busy watching the cycling. Its centerpieces are unquestionably the i3 and i8, which won’t even go on sale until many months after the summer games’ closing ceremonies; the i3 on the floor is closer to the street model, though, and will tease EV drivers with BMW’s option packs. Should that make your bank account cringe far too soon, the i Pedelec scooter and the i Wallbox charger will be hanging around as well. If you didn’t book a ticket to Heathrow in time, don’t panic: the i line is going on a world tour this year that starts in Rome, swings past the US and Japan, and comes full circle to London in 2013.

Filed under: Transportation

BMW opens i Store in sync with London Olympics, shows tourists their electric destiny originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While NBC has already shown off its official Olympics apps for mobile devices, Yahoo is readying an onscreen companion app for connected TVs built on its widgets. While smart TV platforms and boxes are practically everywhere, Yahoo’s is built into HDTVs from several manufacturers, and the app is available for TVs from Sony, Vizio, Samsung and Toshiba. It gives users access to Yahoo Sports coverage with video, news and analysis including daily updates on the games and a real-time medal count. If you have a TV with the Yahoo Connected TV store, it should be just a few clicks of the remote away, and content updates are scheduled to start coming in early next week. We’re still waiting to see the second screen action we previewed at CES put to use, but maybe this event is just the reminder the world needed that this is on more TVs than Google’s effort and actually exists unlike the often-rumored Apple HDTV.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Yahoo shows off Beyond Gold Olympics app for its connected HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 06:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At the Olympics later this month, Michael Phelps could potentially win seven gold medals, at the very most. He won’t top the record-smashing eight he earned in 2008, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be exciting to follow. And the London 2012 Results App will help you do that. More »