Hasta La Gadget!

Styku has been around for roughly a year now. The company even just wrapped up a pilot program with Nordstrom that could see the legendary retailer using it’s Kinect-based measurement taking system. While there hasn’t been much change to the Styku Virtual Fitting Room, we figured we’d swing by and actually check out how it works for ourselves. We spoke to Tommy Vo, who walked us through the process, which is pretty simple. He directed us to stand with our heels on a pair of marks on the floor, hold our arms out from our sides and stand still for roughly five seconds while the Kinect cameras mounted all around us snapped away. Then the specialized software spent about 30 seconds turning the raw data in to useable measurements for inseam, waist, chest and just about any other body part that could be of import to a tailor. While the numbers spit out could be used to purchase a custom made suit, the company is focusing more on retail sales, where the information could be used to identify articles of clothing that will fit best. To see a hairy beast of an Engadget editor get turned a collection of dots and paired with some bootcut Diesel jeans, head on after the break.

Terrence O’Brien contributed to this report.

Continue reading Styku virtual fitting room body scan (video)

Filed under: Misc, Software

Comments

Unless you have loads of cash at your disposal or work for the federal government, chances are you haven’t heard of Robotex. The start-up, featured here at CES 2013’s Eureka Alley, specializes in creating automated solutions for a variety of security applications (think: SWAT busts, radiation level monitoring, etc.). Traditionally, these high-end robotic solutions carry a price tag in the tens of thousands, but starting this week, Robotex is targeting the consumer market with its Avatar. Set to retail for $299, the blue tank-like bot links up with iOS devices (an Android version’s coming in Q1) via USB to communicate with a companion app over Bluetooth 4.0 for remote monitoring. In its current incarnation, the Avatar doesn’t do much apart from offering telepresence — authenticated by the company’s servers — but the robot has been designed to be open source. To that end an SDK and HDK will be made available allowing tinkerers to craft up their own innovations. Unfortunately, due to the abundance of wireless signals here at the show, Robotex’s reps weren’t able to get the Avatar up and moving around the floor. But in a typical home environment, users should expect to get up to an hour and a half of “driving” time out of the robot. There’s no video of the Avatar in action, so instead, check out the gallery below.

Filed under: Misc, Software

Comments

Yep, it’s a big year from 3D printing, and no company’s got a bigger piece of the spotlight than MakerBot. The company used last year’s show to announce the release of the first generation Replicator, releasing its successor a few months back. We’ve asked the company’s CEO Bre Pettis back to our stage to discuss the 3D printing revolution.

Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here!

Update: video embedded

Continue reading Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with MakerBot’s Bre Pettis (update: video embedded)

Filed under: Misc

Comments

This may not be a highly priced diamond in the rough, but we were still rather pleased to come across eFun’s aPen Touch8 while walking around the showfloor at a Showstoppers event here in beautiful Las Vegas. Although not exactly surprising, it’s worth noting the Touch8 aPen takes an obvious cue from its A5 sibling, sporting a very similar design and being powered by the same ultrasonic infrared technology. What’s different here, however, is that the newly announced Touch8’s tailored for laptops (15.6-inch or lower) running Windows 8, with the pen’s main purpose being to bring moderate gesture-based features to non-touch machines. According to eFun, and confirmed by us, installation is relatively simple: you plug in the included receiver (pictured below), pop into the “Tablet PC Settings,” adjust the calibration, and voila, you are all golden.

During our short spell with the aPen Touch8, we did notice a bit of a lag from time to time while using the peripheral, though it did manage to (somewhat) easily swipe its way between screens, launch different applications and bring up the Charms Bar. Naturally, it doesn’t come anywhere near close to what you would experience on an actual touch-capable Windows 8 laptop, but it could definitely be an option if you’re looking for something to hold you over until you finally decide to upgrade your gear. Those interested will have to shell out $80 on the aPen Touch8, with eFun telling us to expect it to be available in about a month.

Continue reading eFun’s aPen Touch8 makes non-touch laptops extremely friendly with Windows 8 (hands-on)

Filed under: Misc, Laptops, Peripherals

Comments

Source: eFun

Whether you’re the next Trent Reznor on a MIDI controller or simply get a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy when hearing classic video game themes, there’s no denying the impact of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface specification. Three decades after its creators decided to collaborate and listen on a brand new invention, MIDI technology is now being used by more than 700 companies in a wide range of devices ranging from electronic keyboards and drum sets to video game consoles and cell phones. To commemorate its birthday, the MIDI Manufacturers Association just kicked off its “MIDI Makes Music” 30th Anniversary campaign with a preview of the past, present and future of the technology at CES. The yearlong tribute fittingly continues later this month at the NAMM Show 2013 — the same event where the technology was first demonstrated in 1983. For more details about the ongoing MIDI revelry, feel free to peruse the PR after the break. It doesn’t have instructions on how to transform your MIDI controller into a guitar enclosure but, hey, we kind of got you covered on that one, too.

Continue reading MIDI turns 30, gets year-long birthday bash from daddy

Filed under: Misc, Alt

Comments

Source: MIDI Manufacturers Association