In addition to making its RazerCare protection plans available for peripherals, Razer is expanding its lineup with a slightly more affordable keyboard, mouse and headset, which are all available today. The mechanical BlackWidow keyboard borrows sever...
There are lots of gaming peripherals out there, and some of them can get really, really expensive. Hell, I once reviewed a racing wheel, pedals, and shifter set that goes for about $1,200. Even something as simple as a mouse or keyboard can cost you hundreds. When it comes to more creative peripherals like the OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator or some hardcore hydraulic sim systems, the sky is the limit.
This is probably the most expensive peripheral ever, given that it’s made up of tons of extremely expensive, university-grade research equipment and an actual live person. Researchers at the University of Washington used electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to read when a person defending a virtual city from a flying, missile-launching pirate ship (why the hell not?) wanted to fire her cannon. The person playing thought about moving her hand, and because of that and some science and crap, a person in an entirely different room involuntarily twitched and activated a track pad that sent a message to the game that fired the cannon.
I wonder if the latency is better or worse than a wireless mouse?
After a few humid and sweaty days in Tokyo, TGS 2012 is drawing to a close. While the public days continue through the weekend, us media types are headed back to our respective homelands until next September. The lasting impression from the week -- aside from eating massive amounts of gyoza -- will undoubtedly be the news Sony dropped the day before the show started at its own press event. A new, even slimmer PS3 is on the way and two new colors for the PS Vita were outed -- at least for Japan. On the show floor, though, we encountered some peripherals well-suited for other gaming tech like Nintendo's 3DS XL, Xbox 360 and PC rigs. You can peek at those for yourself in the Sony Tokyo Game Show gallery that follows and relive all the action in the wrap-up that lies just beyond the break. Also, don't forget to check out our pals over at Joystiq for more coverage from this week's happenings.
Remember the Sony HMZ-T2 3D head-mounted display that we tried on back at IFA? Well, it's being prominently featured here at TGS, too. Tucked away at a smaller, much more modest booth around the corner, however, is something a smidge more interesting. Kept behind glass and a safe distance away from our grubby mitts and sweaty foreheads resides the "Prototype-SR" (Substitutional Reality) that was outed on YouTube last week. Essentially, the unit appears to be the HMZ-T2 with a front-mounted camera for head tracking and camera functionality -- the sort of thing that will provide what's being called a 360-degree immersive entertainment experience. From what we can tell from the booth monitors, the unit displays 3D video overlaid in real space for the person wearing the device. Details are scarce and extremely limited demos were available in an apparent lottery (no luck here). You can rest assured that if we're able to snag one, though, we'll be sure to offer up some impressions. For now, take a look at the camera-wielding set of hi-tech goggles in the gallery below and the aforementioned video awaits just past the break.
This week Japan's capital city welcomes gamers from around the globe for some show and tell with the country's finest at TGS. As for us, we're particularly anxious to see what Sony may have in store. Will we see anotherPS3 redesign? Perhaps some buzz about it's next-gen console? Will we see some energized color options for the PS Vita? We're eager to find out. Worried you're too far away to be in the loop with the happenings here? Fret not! We've got you covered on all of the proceedings at Makuhari Messe, so keep your peepers locked here for all of the latest news over the next few days.
Gaming accessories come in all shapes and sizes --- replacement controllers, portable console suitcases, specialized mice, control augmenting nubs, you name it. Whatever your niche, you can bet there's a product out there to fill it. Nyko, in particular, has made a bit of a habit of fulfilling a particular need: manufacturing third-party battery accessories for all those short-lived handhelds. The outfit has such a solidtrack record in the category, in fact, that we had little doubt its PlayStation Vita Power Grip ($25) would live up to its life-giving hype -- but we decided to put it to the test all the same.
Looking to get a bit more longevity out of your 3DS gaming sessions before needing to recharge? If so, Nyko is looking to oblige with its Power Grip Pro case for the aforementioned Nintendo handheld. The outfit boasts that the peripheral will triple your battery life alongside the added functionality of an analog slider control. As you might expect, the unit sports a comfy ergonomic design that should keep you and your device quite cozy. Of course, we'll be the judge of that ourselves when we give the Power Grip Pro the hands-on treatment later this week. No word on pricing yet, but the accessory is slated hit shelves this October -- in plenty of time to snag one for the holiday season. For a look at the kit when from another angle (closed for transport), head on past the break.
Forget about Sony and Microsoft. The Wii U? Ha! Everyone knows inflatable race car add-ons are what E3 2012 is all about. CTA Digital is leading the way, doing for the 3DS what it did for the Wii before it, letting players clip their portable console into the giant peripheral's steering wheel. The Inflatable Sports Car is also Wii compatible, for those who are bi-console. You can pick one up for $40 on Amazon, foot pump included. Shoes, clearly, are optional.
The iCade Arcade Cabinet famously began life as an April Fool's joke, pulling the video game equivalent of Pinocchio by transforming in a real salable product. The $100 arcade machine-shaped iPad enclosure / controller hit the sweet spot between functionality and retro gaming nostalgia, proving successful enough that Ion found itself with a solid reason to expand the line. Notable amongst the new arrivals are the iCade Core, which offers up the same feature set as the original iCade in a more portable joystick form, and the iCade Mobile, a re-imagining of the product as an oversized iPhone case. The Core carries the same price tag as its predecessor, while the Mobile clocks in at $20 less. So, are these additions worthy of the iCade name? Or would the line have been better served as a one-off? Insert a coin and find out after the break.
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.
Different strokes for different folks. While Darren may have long since sworn off tablets as productivity machines, our very own Billy Steele (a designer by trade, don'tcha know) has been using one to workshop projects with clients. For Darren, anyway, productivity means having a laptop with a discrete GPU at the ready -- except for when the GPU drains his battery life, which is where an app called gfxCardStatus comes in. Rounding things out, we've got Jason Hidalgo talking up the different ways he's attempted to charge his needy PS3 controllers. All that and more after the break.
In addition to making its RazerCare protection plans available for peripherals, Razer is expanding its lineup with a slightly more affordable keyboard, mouse and headset, which are all available today. The mechanical BlackWidow keyboard borrows sever...
