| Snakebyte tablet gaming controller for Android and iOS hands-on Jun 7th 2012, 17:00  If you're a mobile / tablet gaming enthusiast, you may get tired of swiping your fingers across the Retina display or using the on-screen controls. Snakebyte is looking to lend a hand with its upcoming game controller for Android slates and the iPad, so we went hands-on here at E3. The accessory plays nice with tablet PCs running Gingerbread or Ice Cream Sandwich and Apple's portable device outfitted with any iCade-compatible apps. Dressed in a soft-touch coating, the peripheral feels great in the hand and the base is much like a PS3 controller. The unit connects via Bluetooth and pairing it with your mobile gaming device of choice is a breeze. When performing said set-up, you can select from five different modes to suit your needs including gamepad / controller, keyboard and mouse, solo keyboard, solo mouse and iCade mode (iOS-only). You'll always know which setting you've chosen thanks to an LED indicator on the front side of the kit. Touting eight hours of battery life, the gaming accessory charges via USB and will include a simple stand for your slate. Interested? You'll be able to snag one for $40 at the end of July. For now, though, take a peek at the gallery below for a closer look.
Snakebyte tablet gaming controller for Android and iOS hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Sky+ rolls out a new HD guide starting today, keeps live, DVR and VOD TV level (video) Jun 7th 2012, 16:34  The last time we checked in on Sky+'s UI, the UK TV broadcaster was updating its set-top boxes around the time of the '08 Olympics and now it's starting to roll out a new look just in time for the 2012 Games. The new guide brings HD graphics with new colors and fonts, improved navigation by displaying listings for eight channels at once (up from six), the ability to sort DVR recordings by genre, and a new landing page that sorts content from various sources -- live, DVR or video on-demand -- by genre. More subtle changes include a now-translucent "search and scan" banner and retooled accessibility menu that puts audio options first. According to Sky the initial rollout will hit tens of thousands of Sky+HD boxes today and slowly grow to millions more by year-end. Check out a few screenshots in the gallery below or a video demo of the new features after the break for a first hand look, then let us know if they suit your viewing style. Continue reading Sky+ rolls out a new HD guide starting today, keeps live, DVR and VOD TV level (video) Sky+ rolls out a new HD guide starting today, keeps live, DVR and VOD TV level (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Sky Views, Sky Guide | Email this | Comments | | Tactus' morphing smartphone and tablet display hands-on Jun 7th 2012, 15:50  Tactus Technology, a small start-up out of Fremont, CA, made a big splash at this year's Society for Information Display (SID) conference. The company, which came to Boston, MA toting a single product, showcased an early prototype of its morphing touchscreen display. The screen, which looks and acts like all other smartphone and tablet displays, has a very special and unique feature: it can dynamically create and remove tactile keys on demand. Tactus utilizes a specially designed window that sits directly on top of a display's touch sensor -- which we're told can be fitted to almost any touchscreen -- that has specially designed channels. A "proprietary oil" is, at the behest of the underlying operating system, forced in and out of these channels to raise the display surface and create a tactile interface for the end-user. It's a concept that, much to the delight of ardent smartphone and tablet keyboard lovers, can provide a physical input experience without sacrificing screen real estate. Have a look at our hands-on gallery then saunter past the break to see this tactile touchscreen in action and read our impressions.
Continue reading Tactus' morphing smartphone and tablet display hands-on Tactus' morphing smartphone and tablet display hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | MotoCzysz e-motorbike crackles past 100MPH at TT Zero for $15,000 prize Jun 7th 2012, 15:20  Jitters over wet track conditions didn't stop MotoCzysz's Michael Rutter from becoming the first electric motorcycle rider at the Isle of Man's TT Zero to hit 100MPH -- aka the fabled "ton". He also snapped up the £10,000 ($15,400) prize offered by the island's government for the achievement, although two other riders also managed to zap the milestone. Being the first to do it was all that counted, though, and after coming close last year, it looks like MotoCzysz's recent doubling up on horsepower seemed to do the trick. Thanks to the boost, Rutter easily cruised past the mark at 104.056MPH. At this rate, a day at the races could become a pretty serene experience. [Thanks, John] MotoCzysz e-motorbike crackles past 100MPH at TT Zero for $15,000 prize originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Torque News | Email this | Comments | |
