Hasta La Gadget!

We’d recommend taking this all with a healthy grain of salt for now, but according to a fortunate Steam Powered forum member who scored a trip by Valve’s headquarters, the company’s considering an iOS / Android port of Steam. Yeah, Steam — you know, that wildly popular game distribution service that’s doing its darnedest to kill off boxed video game sales. As the story goes, Political Gamer was able to sit down with Valve’s own Gabe Newell for a tick, and while the topics of conversation were obviously varied, one point in particular piqued our interest. Purportedly, Gabe confirmed that the company is “looking into the iOS / Android platform for possible expansions with Steam,” which makes absolute sense given just how well-received the iPod touch and iPhone have been by gamers. To boot, Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play is just around the bend, and if Amazon’s able to launch its own app store, why not push out a game-centric one from a name that people already know and trust? Of course, pondering the possibility is far different than investing resources into a new product, so until we hear that the latter is definitely happening, we’ll be doing our best to suppress our expectations. Call it self-preservation.

Valve’s Gabe Newell hints at possible Steam port to iOS / Android, may be blowing hot air originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Helmet cam aficionado? Contour’s ContourGPS currently has the greatest range of connectivity options, and one of those options, Bluetooth, is finally good for something. The company has just flipped the switch and deployed its Viewfinder app that we last saw at CES, which allows iOS devices to pull live video from the camera, even if it’s still stuck to the side of your head and covered in mud. Users can also tweak camera settings in real-time, which is a huge step forward over the previous process that required tethering the cam and booting up some software. However, there is a catch: to use the device you have to install a little card, called a ConnectView, into your camera. This sucker will set you back $29.99, though we’re told the upcoming Android release of the app will be able to do without. Unfortunately, that version won’t be along until an unfortunately vague “Spring,” but the iOS flavor is a free download right now in the App Store.

Continue reading Contour launches Viewfinder App, lets your iPhone talk to your ContourGPS (video)

Contour launches Viewfinder App, lets your iPhone talk to your ContourGPS (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Red Bull Augmented Racing game lets you build tracks with Red Bull cans

Red Bull Augmented Racing game lets you build tracks with Red Bull cans originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankly, a few things in life are just too hard. Taxes being one of them, and moving from one’s spot in a hot tub to adjust the temperature and / or jet pressure being another. In a bid to solve issue number two, Arctic Spas has shoved out an iOS app (Android and BlackBerry are inbound) that interfaces with a WiFi module on some of the company’s hot tubs. Once loaded up, owners can control temperature and jets with a simple touch, though we hear that loads of steam and moist fingers aren’t exactly great for consumer electronics. Either way, you’ve got a video to entice you down below.

Continue reading Arctic Spas shows off hot tub-controlling iPhone app, waterproof iPhone case sold separately (video)

Arctic Spas shows off hot tub-controlling iPhone app, waterproof iPhone case sold separately (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pretty handy: The iPad 2’s Smart Cover can stick to refrigerators and other metal surfaces. Photo: Gizmodo

Gadget Lab Notes is an eclectic roundup of gadget news briefs and intriguing products that catch our eye.

Your iPad 2 Can Stick to Your Fridge
Be careful trying this one at home in case your fridge isn’t quite as magnetic, but several people have found that the new iPad’s Smart Cover will stick to metallic, magnetic surfaces like a fridge. This could make it very convenient to look at recipes online or watch videos in the kitchen as you cook. This is a much more reasonable application for the iPad’s magnetic capabilities than as an oversized clock dangling from your neck.

Smartcover Doubles As an iPad Fridge Magnet [9to5 Mac via the Giz]

Burglar Blaster Shoots Pepper Spray to Ward Off Intruders
The wailing alarm and the threat of police on the way aren’t enough to keep some criminals from robbing you blind. Set up an alarm they’ll never forget: the Burglar Blaster. When this passive infrared detection system is triggered, the canister’s 4 oz squirt contains enough juice to coat 2,000 square feet in its eye-searing contents. $600 will get you the system, but you’ll probably have to shell out extra for a cleaning service if it ever does go off.

Burglar Blaster [BedBunker via Oh Gizmo]

Samsung 55-inch Glasses-Free 3-D TV Prototype Has 9 Different Viewing Angles
A prototype 55-inch 3-D TV from Samsung features 9 different viewing angles, so you and 8 friends could strategically sit around it and enjoy the same 3-D experience. It can also easily be switched into 2-D mode by altering the optical refraction index of an LCD panel on top of the TV’s LCD. Samsung hopes to use an LED backlight in the finished product—right now it uses a CCFL backlight.

Samsung 55-inch Glasses Free 3-D Prototype [Tech On! via Engadget]

Ford Goes Green with SmartGauge With EcoGuide Patent
The SmartGauge with EcoGuide helps drivers maximize their miles per gallon, alerting drivers when they could be driving more efficiently (ie when they’ve put the pedal to the metal). The EcoGuide displays vines and leaves that “react” to short-term driving behaviors. The SmartGauge displays what mode hybrid vehicle drivers are operating in, shows information related to gas and electric power use, and lets drivers monitor their level of driving efficiency.

Ford Receives Patents for SmartGauge with EcoGuide [Crunchgear]

Western Digital’s My Book Studio Edition II Stores 6TB, But Lacks Thunderbolt
The My Book Studio Edition II is an external dual-drive array with a storage capacity of up to 6TB with RAID 0 (but can also be set to RAID 1 to help ensure you won’t lose any data). It can connect through FireWire 400, FireWire 800, eSATA, and USB 2.0, and is Time Machine compatible, but it lacks Thunderbolt. You can get it now for $550.

Western Digital My Book Studio Edition II [Slashgear]

Pinball Magic Transforms Your iPhone into a Mini-Pinball Machine
Now you can sure play a mean pinball (The Who, anyone?) on your iPhone or iPod, as long as it’s running iOS 3 or higher. The iDevice accessory works with a free pinball app from Apple’s App Store. It’s not quite the same as the real thing, but it looks pretty fun anyways.

Pinball Magic for iPhone and iPod Touch [Mobile Fun via Ubergizmo]