Posts in news

iOS Devices Become Kinect Controllers In Dodgeball Game

In the past, we saw several interesting Kinect hacks making their way to iPads and Macs thanks to the efforts of a vivid developer community willing to get more out of Microsoft’s motion-controlling peripheral than simple Xbox pairing and gaming. In fact, we were able to get our hands (and eyes) on a free Kinect 3D viewer available in the Mac App Store and an iPad playing together with OS X in a cool futuristic experiment. But hackers, as usual, don’t stop at curious experiments that are worth nothing but a quick test.

A group of hackers last week managed to build a custom Kinect setup that allows iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) to fire balls in a dodgeball game playable by a gamer in front of Kinect. The UI design isn’t as beautiful and attractive as Microsoft’s version of the same thing built on top of Windows Phone 7, but as you can see from the video below it definitely seems to be working.

The video is available for your viewing pleasure after the break. Who’s going to build a Kinect Angry Birds with iOS devices as controllers now? [via Engadget] Read more

T-Mobile & Orange iPad Price Drop Hints at New iPad Soon

Numbers are starting to point toward the arrival of Apple’s iPad 2 (and 3?). UK Carriers T-Mobile and Orange have dropped their iPad pricing, possibly making room for the iPad 2 arrival very soon, maybe in a matter of weeks.

When new versions of products are on their way, it’s very typical for retailers to drop pricing to clear out current stock. It’s not just a “sale” price either, but more significant. Now T-Mobile and Orange are both selling the iPad for £99 on their 24-month contracts. Previously, Orange was offering the iPad WiFi + 3G at £199.99 to existing customers and £229.99 for new customers - this price drop is offering a savings of at least £100 on each. T-Mobile, meanwhile, is only offering the discount to existing customers.

Last year Apple unveiled the game-changing iPad in late January with sales starting on April 3rd. Since we’re currently in-between those dates, and have yet to hear anything official from Apple, we could see the iPad 2 peek it’s beautiful head within the next few weeks. On the other hand, the reduced price could just be Orange and T-Mobile offering customers a bargain; but who wants to believe the later? Not us, that’s for sure.

[via TechRadar]

You Don’t Eat This Angry Birds Cake - You Play With It First

We know people spend an incredible amount of time playing Angry Birds every day, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, once the iOS game is done, people keep on thinking about their beloved birds and pigs. Remember the LEGO set, arcade booth and cake? Angry Birds aficionados (dare we say fanboys) don’t just refine their skills on iPhones and iPads: they are truly immersed in the world imagined by Rovio.

So here comes the interactive Angry Birds cake, playable with a real slingshot and, of course, made of chocolate, icing and so forth. It’s a cake made for a boy named Ben. It took 10 hours to make, and only 2 minutes to destroy.

Ah, the kids playing with real-life Angry Birds. I didn’t have the chance to eat a Super Mario when I was a kid. Check out the video below. [Electricpig via Gizmodo] Read more

You Too Can Have Steve Jobs’ Poker Face with Official Apple Cards

Are you a die-hard Apple fan that wants to get some rare memorabilia? Well you had better check out this listing on eBay where an official Apple-branded pack of cards is on auction!

The pack of cards feature OS 7 icons of bombs, clocks, Mac face and trash cans instead of the traditional clubs, hearts, diamonds and spades as you can see above. The pack was purchased at the Apple campus store in 1997 which was one piece of merchandise that was Apple branded and sold only to Apple employees. In other words, these cards are rare and will be undoubtedly worth quite a bit!

The listing is open for another six days and as of writing was at a bid of £28.00, but that’s likely to rocket as Apple fans across the world discover this quirky gem and bid to get their hands on it.

[Via The Next Web]

Apple Awarded Patent for a ‘Safe Deposit Box’ Feature

Apple was recently awarded an interesting new patent regarding a possible feature in OS X in which users could secure vital files in a ‘safe deposit box’ which would encrypt and hide the files from access as well as potentially uploading them to the cloud.

The patent describes a simple process in which users would be able to drag a particular file to a safe deposit icon that would then secure the file and also upload the secured file to the cloud. Users could then access any secured files that are in the safe deposit box by verifying their identity. Patently Apple suggests that it could either be included in Lion’s Time Machine as an added feature or perhaps as a small ‘pro’ utility for those who want some extra security for their vital files and data.

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Apple Implementing Light Peak Technology In The Near Future?

CNet yesterday reported that Apple is expected to be one of the first adopters of Intel’s Light Peak technology, possibly starting with next week’s rumored MacBook upgrades. The technology is touted by Intel as a way to eliminate the many different cables that computers use such as USB, HDMI and FireWire, creating an all-in-one connectivity solution and Intel has detailed that a first half of 2011 launch is expected.

A source told CNet that Apple intends to adopt the technology in the near future but will supposedly brand the connection under a different name to Light Peak. Whilst CNet couldn’t deduce whether or not the rumoured MacBook update on February 24 would include a Light Peak announcement or inclusion, there has been rumors of more than just a spec-bump in the next update of the MacBooks, possibly suggesting the inclusion of Light Peak.

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Fruit Ninja Sells 6 Million Copies, Slices 150 Billion Fruit and Decides to Fund a Fruit Orchard!

Less than a year since launching, Fruit Ninja has been purchased a whopping 6 million times on the iPhone and over 150 billion fruit have been sliced and slaughtered! In an odd twist of events, Halfbrick has decided to in their words, “make amends for fruit death worldwide” by working together with the ‘Fruit Tree Planting Foundation’ to establish and fully fund a fruit orchard.

Halfbrick has chosen to fund an orchard in a low-income Native American community to not only provide fresh fruit as sustenance to the community but also allow the community to have some long-term income. The project is part of the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation’s Reservation Restoration program and will be fully run by them at the cost of Halfbrick and you will be able to receive updates from the Halfbrick blog and the FTPF website.

[Via Joystiq]

iPad and iPhone Beats Kindle In The UK, But Not In The US

Market research firm Book Marketing Ltd has revealed to GigaOM that in the UK both the iPad and iPhone are beating the Kindle as an eBook reader most used by consumers based on data from last September. The story however is very different in the US however with the Kindle far ahead after stellar growth throughout 2010 as the graph below the break demonstrates.

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New MacBook Pros: February 24th

According to two separate reports from Italian websites SlideToMac and iSpazio posted this morning, the next generation of MacBook Pros – due an update – is going to be released next week, with shipments to Italian resellers starting in the next few days to ensure a late February launch. MacRumors has now independently confirmed that the new MacBook Pros will be released on Thursday, February 24th.

We’ve since heard reliable confirmation that this information is accurate and that the expected release date is next Thursday, February 24th. The move would be a bit unusual for Apple to launch new machines on a Thursday. So, if you are about to buy a new MacBook Pro, wait until next week.

This morning, iSpazio also posted the rumored model numbers of the new units (MC720, MC721, MC723, MC724, and MC725) which will likely sport a new design inspired by the MacBook Airs (dubbed by Apple on its website as the “next generation of MacBooks”) and the new powerful Sandy Bridge chips.

In the past weeks, rumors of stock running low suggested the MacBook Pro line was going to be updated relatively soon. At this point, it looks like next week we’ll be able to get our hands on the new generation of MacBook Pros.