Hasta La Gadget!

The Moject project proved that smartphones and pico projectors do indeed have a thing for one another, but Ethan Janson has taken things one step further with an unnamed contraption that holds his iPhone 3GS, a Microvision Show WX and an “ancient” point-and-shoot camera. Put simply, the handmade thingamajig allows him to play his iPhone games on a far larger screen, and since the Show WX is continually in focus regardless of distance from walls, there’s never a blurring issue when flailing about in order to control the gameplay. The full skinny is down there in the source, but shortcut takers can head straight past the break for a video.

[Thanks, Ethan]

Continue reading DIYer combines iPhone 3GS with Show WX for pico projected gaming bliss (video)

DIYer combines iPhone 3GS with Show WX for pico projected gaming bliss (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 May 2010 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 gamers may have had a solid year head start, but PlayStation 3 loyalists will soon be able to join the programmable / rapid fire party, too. BGRMods has announced that its much-hyped IntensaFIRE controller mod is finally coming to Sony’s latest console, bringing with it fewer installation steps and an equal amount of tinkering possibilities. This new board requires no glue and no solder; users simply “click” it into place and enjoy the spoils of having rapid-fire potential at their fingertips. Purportedly, the mod is useful in “all PlayStation games,” and it’ll begin shipping out on May 21st for those who just can’t game without a macro. We’re told that the $69.95 device will also be making its public debut at E3, so you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be hitting the show floor in hopes of snagging a bit of hands-on time come June.

[Thanks, Kristofer B]

IntensaFIRE click-on mod bringing programmable / rapid fire modes to PS3 controller originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 May 2010 22:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s rush hour, and you’re headed due West on your evening commute — the sun burning holes in your eyes. You could flip down a window visor, trading your field of view for visibility. Or, with a prototype shown off at Intel’s 2010 International Science and Engineering Fair, you could simply let the windshield darken on its own. Two San Diego students (both accustomed to copious amounts of sunshine) rigged a Toyota Prius to do just that by stringing up electrochromic panels, which dim when voltage is applied. The trick is figuring out when and where to apply it, because when the sun is shining the panels themselves all receive the same amount of light. So instead of gauging it at the glass, Aaron Schild and Rafael Cosman found that an ultrasonic range finder could track the driver’s position while a VGA webcam measured the light coming through, and darken the sections liable to cause the most eyestrain. We saw a prototype in person, and it most certainly works… albeit slowly. If you’re rearing to roll your own, it seems raw materials are reasonably affordable — Schild told us electrochromic segments cost $0.25 per square inch — but you may not need to DIY. Having won $4,000 in prize money at the Fair, the teens say they intend to commercialize the technology, and envision it natively embedded in window glass in the not-too-distant future. Here’s hoping GM gives them a call. See pics of the Prius below, or check out a video demo of their prototype right after the break.

Continue reading Auto-dimming electrochromic panels reduce glare when driving (video)

Auto-dimming electrochromic panels reduce glare when driving (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 May 2010 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading High school senior builds walking robot, the VSR-2: Talos FG (video)

High school senior builds walking robot, the VSR-2: Talos FG (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For whatever reason, the last great game console to utilize a cartridge over a disc is finding itself in yet another portable form factor, and of course, the Nimbus 64 has been crafted by one of Ben Heck‘s most loyal followers. One cndowning is responsible for this beaut, and it’s actually his second homemade portable; this particular miniaturized Nintendo 64 uses a custom vacuum formed case, D-pads and control sticks from used Game Cube controllers, a Zenith PS1 display and plenty of nuts and bolts that only the hardcore modders in attendance would understand. Per usual, we’d recommend heading down to the links below for more details and images, the latter of which are likely to make you exceedingly envious of the DIY skills exhibited here.

Nimbus 64: the latest in a long line of gorgeous portable N64 mods originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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