Hasta La Gadget!

We saw the first motherboard we’d actually consider buying a clear case for earlier this week when ASUS announced its new Marine Cool concept mobo, so we couldn’t resist the urge to swing by and grab a few snaps of it here at CeBIT. Unfortunately, the board was sitting behind 3-inches of bulletproof glass, but that didn’t stop our lens from getting as close as possible. We’ll be frank — this thing looks even better in person, and it just might be the catalyst the mobo world needed to start caring about design.

Filed under: Peripherals

Hands-off with ASUS Marine Cool concept motherboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the halcyon days before dual analog sticks, when gamers had only D-pads and buttons and that’s the way we liked it, serious PlayStation drifters had one weapon of choice for ‘Ridge Racer’ battles: the neGcon from Namco. It and its twisting mechanism never really caught on, but it hasn’t been entirely forgotten, reborn through the DualShock Vortex pictured above, a controller extending the same concept to the PS3, offering the 45 degrees of twist you’ll want for Gran Turismo 5 (if it ever ships) plus the analog sticks you’ll need for Killzone 2. Alas, it’s just a rendered concept from Israeli designer Tamar Fleisher at this point, and is rather unlikely to show up at a game retailer near you, but maybe if enough of you e-mail the kind folks at the now Namco Bandai they’ll think about making it a reality.

[Via Gizmodo]

Filed under: Gaming

DualShock Vortex concept controller brings the neGcon out of the nineties originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here’s something that managed to slip beneath our radar but is definitely worth the double-back: Musiblocks. The design project consists of a central control block at the base of the tower with an embedded force sensor and 6 circular connectors. Add more (or heavier) blocks to increase the volume or twist the block atop the base to switch tracks. The only block with any electronics is the core, control block at the base — the other blocks are just hardwood slabs with tin conductors. Remember, if Sony can mass produce the Rolly, don’t be surprised to see Musicblocks go retail sometime soon. Video after the break.

[Via Yanko Design]

Continue reading Video: Musiblocks rock the house

Filed under: Portable Audio

Video: Musiblocks rock the house originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Move over Surface, we just found our next tabletop display. The aptly named DIS.PLAY beautifully merges the functionality of a touch panel with the allure of dimly-lit scenarios, and the inclusion of memory foam just makes it all the more sweet. In one usage scenario, we’re told that objects could be put into motion with sound, and when a certain “shape” is mashed and deformed, the respective audio would bend along with it. Another instance showcased 3D modeling that could be varied by simply twisting the hand or intensifying a finger press. Check the demonstration video after the break, and grab your Tempur-Pedic pillow if you’re looking to play along.

[Via KanYeWestBlog, thanks DellAppleFan24]

Continue reading Foam-infused Impress DIS.PLAY encourages touching

Filed under: Displays

Foam-infused Impress DIS.PLAY encourages touching originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This beautiful concept, inspired by the curves and tapering of the Macbook Air coupled with the touch’s back, is even better than the cool Macbook-inspired iPhone 4G we featured at the beginning of the month.

The thing that excites me most about these concepts, however, is not the aesthetic aspect of it. It’s the the front camera and the fact that people seem to be excited about getting videoconferencing on the iPhone. Specially about the idea of interacting with desktop videoconferencing software on both the PC and the Mac. This is a must for the videochat feature to be really useful, and personally I think it’s one of the reasons it hasn’t been done by Apple before.

My hope is that they are working to make it crossplatform, either with Apple releasing iChat for the PC at one point or, ideally, working on the connection with existing PC videoconferencing software like MSN and Skype.

For sure, Jason and I can’t wait to have cellphone videosex. With other people, I mean. [Thanks Rodolphe Desmare for the art]