Sequel for DJ Hero announced

DJ Hero has only been with us for a few months and it seems that unlike the Guitar Hero franchise, it is a little more difficult to translate the vinyl-based rhythm game into significant sales. Publisher Activision was disappointed that pre-orders for DJ Hero were a little underwhelming and since its release it has sold solidly if not spectacularly, which might suggest that consumers are tiring of filling their living rooms with plastic peripherals.

Despite this, it seems that Activision is still supporting the DJ Hero brand and is in the process of developing a sequel, to be released in late 2010 or early 2011.

Bobby Kotick, who is Chief Executive at Activision, said in a recent interview that he is convinced by the DJ Hero idea and believes in both the game and the turntable controller which is necessary to play it. He also said that Activision would continue to back the franchise and confirmed that a new version would be launched at some point in the future.

As with the Guitar Hero franchise, DJ Hero used endorsement from major names in the music industry in order to promote itself. Old hands Jay-Z and Eminem laid their likenesses onto the first game and Activision is seeking out hot new dance floor maestros to add to its next title.

Producer and DJ David Guetta has said that he will be appearing in DJ Hero 2, which could mean that some exclusive mixes of his songs will appear, alongside some of his celebrity mates.

His and hers Wii Remotes arrive for Feb 14th but only in the US

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nintendo is planning to launch a new set of controllers for the Wii aimed at the Valentine’s Day market. The Wii remotes will be identical to the original design and are still compatible with the Wii Motion Plus add-on, but instead of the standard white they will be available in pretty pink and boyish blue.

The Wii is out selling all of its rivals and in the run up to Christmas 2009 it reached record figures. This latest release is just another example as to how Nintendo can take advantage of those occasions that are typically associated with present giving.

At the moment the new remotes are only planned for launch in the US in time for the most romantic day of the year and their price tag will be the equivalent of about £33, which brings them in line with the cost of the motion plus package that bundles Wii Sports Resort. Perhaps Nintendo doesn’t believe that those of us in the UK are romantic enough to merit inclusion in the launch.

The Wii shipped 3.81 million units in the last month of 2009, nearly three times the number of Xbox 360s sold by Microsoft in the same period. The PS3 also made some gains in the run up to Christmas, although with 1.36 million sold it was still nowhere near to catching up with Nintendo’s little white box.

If you want to brighten up your Wii Remotes but you cannot get your hands on an official multicoloured controller, there are many third party products, such as protective sleeves, which can coat any exiting Wii Remote with a splash of colour.

Nintendo’s next handheld to get 2010 release

 

 

 

 

 

Speculation is building around rumours that the next handheld console from Nintendo is going to be announced at some point this year and could then be set for a swift release. Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata has already provided some interesting nuggets of information, saying earlier this month that motion sensitive controls and improved graphics would be a must on the next-generation DS.

Mr Iwata did not get specific as to release dates, although he did say that unlike the DSi and DS Lite, Nintendo would not simply be updating a current console but creating an entirely new platform.

Industry analyst Jesse Divnich is the person pushing the idea of a 2010 announcement for the new handheld. According to his research he anticipates that within the 8 months Nintendo will be bringing the first official news of the sequel to the DS and then six or seven months after that the device will actually arrive.

Mr Divnich supports his findings with various theories, including the fact that piracy is currently compromising the DSi. As a result, Nintendo needs to update its handheld console in line with the home consoles and current generation mobile phones by offering a wireless download service.

Whilst these rumours should not be dismissed out of hand, there is little official evidence to back them up aside and some simply interpret them as wishful theorising. However, given that the current DSi has not received any major upgrades to its basic capabilities other than a couple of cameras, it is not unreasonable to assume that Nintendo is gearing up to unleash a more powerful handheld in the near future.

Full colour ASUS eReader unveiled

Manufacturer ASUS has released details of a brand new eReader that it intends to launch this year, although the specifications are not quite what some had expected. ASUS was conspicuously absent from the eReader element of the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but this announcement more than makes up for it.

The new device will feature a 6 inch screen that uses OLED display technology. To the uninitiated, this means that there is no independent backlighting, as each organic LED emits its own light, which saves energy, slims down the product and produces a much better picture.

It had originally been reported that ASUS would be producing a monochromatic eReader similar to the Amazon Kindle, but the announcement of this OLED device, which is tentatively called the DR-570, suggests that ASUS is aiming even higher.

The DR-570 will have integrated Wi-Fi and 3G networking connectivity, allowing for wireless downloads of books and magazines. Its manufacturer also claims that on a single charge the device will provide for more than 122 hours of average use.

ASUS has said that it intends to get the DR-570 out on the market before the end of 2010 and you may be concerned that the price of something so high-tech might be a little too steep for the average consumer. However, given that ASUS has a reputation for producing high quality, low cost goods and can be credited with starting the netbook phenomenon with its EEE PC, the DR-570 eReader may well enter the market at an attractive price point.

HP Microsoft Windows 7 Slate PC News From CES

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new HP Slate powered by microsofts Windows 7 got a suprisingly muted response during its launch at CES las vegas. People where impressed with the look and idea of the product but where somewhat dissapointed that it was using a standard version of windows 7. I think people where expecting a new operating system for a new device. That said I think the slate is good looking piece of kit and one that a giant like HP will have great success with.

The slate concept bridges the gap between smart phones and notebook computers. Current notebooks are great but are not as user friendly as a smart phone. They take longer to boot up and are more cumbersome to carry around, they can also be easily broken. On the other hans smart phones don’t have the capacity or screen size compared to notebook.

This is the first product of its kind and certainly paves the way for the future. Apple are set to launch their competing product at the end of the month and all eyes will be on them to raise the bar again. I think this will be a huge product for 2010.

Audiovox Zentral Turns Your Phone Into A Remote For Your TV Or Garage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the past their have been apps and devices capable of turning your iphone into a remote for your TV or Hi fi. Only some of these have been successful and many have been disappointing and lack luster. Thankfully Audiovox have invented a device that will turn your iPhone, Blackberry or smart phone into a blue tooth driven remote that can operate your TV, Hi fi, DVD player or even open your garage door.

The Audiovox Zentral comes with a base station that bridges the gap between your phone and the devices that you want to control. You install the app and then you can control your household devices in all in a single place. This great gadget is set to cost around $80 when it is released and we are sure it will be a popular choice for people who want to minimize their remotes.

Forgetful Phone Owners Savior is Zomm

If you have ever found yourself in a complete blind panicsearching for your mobile phone you might appreciate this little gadget by ZOMM. This puck shaped key chain can locate your phone with its built in tracker but this is not it’s main selling point.

ZOMM have designed the device to pair with your mobile phone via bluetooth so you can take incoming calls even when you can not access your phone. It also includes a panic button that will allow users to make an emergency call even if their phone is locked in a different room (up to 10 metres), in a briefcase or locked in your car. One final quirky feature is that it will give an audible warning if you start to get out of bluetooth range.

There is speculation that this product will come to retail at around $79 and should be released in the very near future.

SMS Snoop Mobile Phone Cheat Monitor

Cheaters or secret keepers beware, there is a new app out designed to give away yours or other peoples best kept business. SMS Snoop is an app that can be discreetly installed on your mobile phone with the sole purposes of forwarding texts to another phone.

On the face of it this type of app sounds like it should be for bunny boilers and paranoid spouses who think their partner may be cheating on them. This is a valid use (I bet Tigers wife wish she had thought of this) but there are others.

For example parents could install this on their kids phones to keep tabs on them. The company that designed the software insists that the owner of the phone should be made aware but this kind of defeats the object. So be warned would be cheaters of the world and if you suspect your partner this might be the answer to your problems!

Audi R8 Spyder

The Audi R8 is one of the most desirable cars available and it is hard to think how it could be improved. But the new Spyder is due in March 2010 and it looks like it has improved on an already great design.

The Spyder ditches the side-blades for carbon fibre composite panels with a cover for the soft roof (which opens in 19 seconds whilst moving at speeds up to 31 miles per hour) . The styling is breathtaking both outside and in the interior of the car. The interior is equipped with a variety of top end gadgets including a race styled multi function steering wheel, electronically heated and adjustable seats, lap timer, driver information systems, deluxe air conditioning and a bang and olufsen sound system.

The car is full of innovative tech. The seats are coloured with pigments that actually reflect the infrared part of sunlight. This keeps the seats 20 degrees cooler than standard leather or cloth. Audi also offers lots of custom extras, such as bespoke leather and specially designed trims. A worldwide first is the optional seat belt microphone for the hands-free system, which makes it possible to talk on the phone even with the roof down on the motorway. Three tiny microphones are included on both seat belts.  There is a fourth microphone in the windscreen frame so sound is picked up from all around the car.

The power comes from a mid mounted V10 that produces 525 BHP, it will hit 62.14 MPH in 4.1 seconds and keep on going to an eye watering 194.49 Miles per hour. All of this will cost buyers £109,580 and is available in March 2010 and we can’t wait.

Mountain Hardwear Refugium Jacket

Mountain Hardwear produces some very advanced outdoor clothing with the latest weather-cheating technology. It even has a timeline charting its various innovations throughout the years. They have a wide selection of jackets on offer and it is the clever design of each that make them noteworthy. For example, the Refugium features a removable powderskirt and is coated with a special laminate called ‘Conduit’ which is resistant to scrapes, scratches and rubs that it will inevitably sustain during its lifetime. The most impressive thing about it is that it contains an actual heating element that keeps you warm, there is also a USB socket to charge your gadgets.

It is also completely waterproof, whilst managing to remain breathable. It is best to describe the Mountain Hardwear jackets as ergonomic as each facet of their construction has been engineered to be practical and unobtrusive, no matter what the conditions. As a winter gadget the jacket should really be seen as an investment in your adventurous future.

<« Previous page — Next Page » 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 « Previous Page — Next Page »