Control Video Games… With Your Brain!
Kotaku reviews the Berlin Brain-Computer-Interface and writes:
“A computer controlled by the power of thought alone has been demonstrated at CEBIT in Germany.” Woah. That’s the lead-in to Cognitive Labs report on the “mental typewriter” (aka Berlin Brain-Computer Interface), a device that not only makes you look 8000% dorkier, but will let you control your video games and entertainment devices with pure thought. It could also allow the paralyzed control computers and let amputees control artificial limbs, but the real news is that we can finally dump those crappy Wavebirds!
Just kidding, I love my Wavebird!
Ah, the power of the brain! Finally we can convert those pathetic brain-waves into action, allowing our central-nervous system control of our nerves and our “mental typewriter”.
Mental Typewriter and Game Controller Becomes a Reality
Canon PowerShot SD550 Digital Elph reviewed
PC Mag has confered its illustrious Editor’s Choice award on Canon’s new ultracompact, ultra-excellent, 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD550 Digital Elph. For only $409, you can partake in hours upon hours of this high-def goodness. The SD550 is a patched version of last year’s also-praised SD500, and both myself and PC Mag share the sentiment that the SD550 has earned the 50 points. “While matching its predecessor in resolution, the human color-wheels over at PC Mag agree that the SD550 actually takes a better picture than the SD500, and sports a bigger screen to boot (2.5-inches vs. 2.0). Also impressive were the ‘excellent’ flash, ergonomic design, bootup time, shutter lag (or lack thereof), and 30fps VGA video capture that ‘was slightly better than that of the SD500.’ The only quibbles were relatively minor, and involve some obscure photographic wonkiness that we’ll leave to the review.” Methinks this is one for the kids!
Kraft’s Brand Of DDR… For $10
Kraft is now offering a free game-pad. Oh wait, there’s a $9.99 shipping & handling fee, so it’s not really free. Let’s try this again…
Kraft is now offering a PC game-pad that utilizes the USB port for only $9.99. What can you do with it when it finally comes in your mail-box? Why, just download the DDR-style games Groove Master and Rockin’ the Boat for free (really!) and let the dancin’ begin!
Best Gaming Phone: Motorola RAZR V3C
These days, most people buy cell-phones for their secondary features, like call-waiting, speakerphone, text-messaging, picture-messaging, video-recording, and most popularily, video-gaming. But what is the best gaming cell phone? It’s not the Samsung “Blade” a900. It’s Motorola’s RAZR V3C, which now costs but a mere $99, after a $150 mail in rebate and 2 year Verizon Wireless Contract. It has a potpourri of features: “a 1.3 mp camera, bluetooth capabilities, EVDO technology, built in mp3 player, voice activited dialing, text messaging, picture caller ID, an external display with96 x 80 pixels and 4000 colours, the main colour display with 176×220 pixels and over 262,000 colours, speakerphone, alarm, calculator, calender, vibrate options, a phonebook capacity of 1000 entries, and a talktime of 180 minutes”. Plus it’s only 1/4 inch thick, and only weighs 3.45 ounces.
But enough about the basic features. The true genius of the RAZR lies in its capacity for video games. Totalling 82 Java-based games currently and plenty of top-notch titles like Elektra, Midnight Bowling, and Brother in Arms, the RAZR is the clear winner for video-game support. And for $99, this would be an ideal Christmas gift!
No More N-Gages Until 2007
That’s right, Nokia is pulling their N-Gage off the market after its dissappointing market record. Because the sales have been paltry, Nokia will take their focus completely from the mobile gaming marketing sector… at least until 2007. In the meantime, however, Nokia plans on developing mobile music and mobile television. Furthermore, Nokia will be integrating “gaming software into Series 60 phones”, according to Antti Vasara, Nokia’s vice president for corporate strategy. And when 2007 rolls around, Vasara forsees that the improvement in screen-sizes and screen-quality will be great enough to make the mobile gaming a viable option once more for Nokia.
