Hasta La Gadget!

Remember The Fingerist, the guitar headstock-themed speaker and case for your iPhone or iPod touch? You know, the one with the shoulder strap for public (and private) performances with all of your favorite music making apps? Well, it seems that it’s finally available in the states. Indeed, there has been so little fanfare behind this announcement that the company responsible, Evenno, hasn’t even acknowledged it on its site. But don’t worry: we found this bad boy for $150 on Amazon. And if that’s not enough, iLounge has done a series of hands-on photos (see the More Coverage link, below). Or, if you’re like us, you can skip the thing altogether and groove to Rick Wakeman after the break. We do have one more thing to say about the Fingerist, however: at least it’s not endorsed by this guy.

Continue reading The Fingerist turns your iPhone into an iKeytar, available now

The Fingerist turns your iPhone into an iKeytar, available now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The iOS App Store might already have its fair share of addictive and compelling games on offer, but when John Carmack comes calling with his latest megatextured shoot-em-up, you’ve got to sit up and pay attention. Rage HD: Mutant Bash TV isn’t so much a full-fledged game in its own right as it is a teaser for the forthcoming Rage FPS for the PC, and yet even in its pretty limited running time, it managed to woo and thrill us with its visceral gameplay and arresting visuals. It’s easily the best-looking game we’ve yet seen on a mobile device and provides a fine demonstration of just how far Apple’s hardware — on the iPhone 4, iPad, and fourth-gen iPod touch — can be pushed when some appropriately adroit hands are at the graphical controls. But, of course, games are supposed to be fun to play, not just to look at, so why not join us after the break to see how well Rage HD handles its mutant-bashing duties?

Continue reading Rage HD review (iPhone)

Rage HD review (iPhone) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A bumper crop of circumstantial evidence surrounding the Android-based PlayStation Phone is starting to come together today — when it rains, it pours, as they say — and one particularly interesting thread suggests that the ecosystem surrounding the device might be called “Z-System.” An astute tipster notes that the term appears in the upper left of one of our shots, which maps to a domain — z-system.com, naturally — that’s owned by Sony Ericsson. Turns out the company also holds trademarks for Z-System in the US and Benelux trademark offices (among others, presumably) that were filed (and approved) this year, and the filing category includes “software for interacting or playing with electronic or video games,” not hardware, so that strongly suggests we’re looking at a platform here. We suppose it’s possible that this specific device will be called Z-System, but we’re going to float the theory that its actually underlying gaming platform that’ll bear that name — possibly a premium game store and set of software libraries that together will earn a device the Z-System badge. As we already saw with the BlackPad / SurfBook / PlayBook fiasco, trademarks don’t mean much until a device is actually announced — but it’s something to keep an eye on.

[Thanks, Andrew]

Sony Ericsson Z-System: the PlayStation Phone’s gaming platform? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Developed by Swedish firm Pixelbite and released just a few days ago by EA and Polarbit, Reckless Racing is a game we’ve been following since it was known as “Deliverace” early this year — and honestly, there was a spell where we’d gone so long without having heard anything about it that we’d kind of assumed the awesome-looking project had been canceled. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case — it’s now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android — so we decided to take it for a quick spin. After all, top-down racers haven’t really made much noise since the heady days of R.C. Pro-Am and perennial arcade favorite Ivan “Ironman” Stewart’s Super Off Road… and after playing Reckless Racing for just a few minutes, we’re not sure why that is.

Continue reading Reckless Racing review (iPhone)

Reckless Racing review (iPhone) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Oct 2010 17:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re not really down with strumming a fake guitar in Guitar Hero, perhaps you’d prefer to try your skills on the 1s and 2s. We’re talking turntables here: scratching, mixing, and rapping with the new DJ Hero 2 game. Released today from Activision, the makers of Guitar Hero, DJ Hero 2 allows you to mix tracks, battle with another DJ, and add vocals with a mic. 

DJ Hero 2 comes in three variations: the DJ Hero 2 Party Pack ($150), which comes with two turntables and a microphone, as well as the game, of course; the Turntable Bundle ($100), which comes with just the game and one turntable; or, if you already own DJ Hero and have a turntable or two, you can buy just the game for $60.

The update features a slew of new DJ and vocal multiplayer modes, including innovating DJ Battles, and over 80 mixes. The people at Activsion got some of the best DJs to produce and mix sets. DJs featured include Tiesto, DJ Shadow, DJ Jazzy Jeff, A-Trak, Diplo, and Z-Tip, among others. The tracks that come with the game are some of the most popular jams out there by artists like Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, Naughty By Nature, Missy Elliott, The Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, and M.I.A., to name a few.

The game itself hasn’t changed much. PCMag reviewed the original DJ Hero and gave it a 4 out of 5. Though mastering the skills of turntablism can be a little tricky, once you get the hang of it, DJ Hero is quite the addictive game. Take a look at the review to get a feel for the gist of the game.

To celebrate the launch of DJ Hero 2, Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy are adding a few incentives to the package. Between October 19 and October 23, Amazon is offering a free copy of Linkin Park’s new album “A Thousand Suns.” If Linkin Park isn’t quite your cup of tea, check out Best Buy where a Party Bundle or Turntable Bundle will get you a free hard-shell carrying case that converts into a game-ready DJ stand. Lastly, certain specially-marked Wii or XBox 360 Party or Turntable Bundles at Walmart will also come with a $10 gift card to Walmart.com.