pitches

In 1927, Professor Thomas Parnell of the University of Queensland in Australia set out to teach his students a lesson, and that lesson is still going on today and has at least another 100 years to go.

The physics professor wanted to demonstrate to his pupils that solid material could have viscous properties, so he used tar pitch, a derivative of coal once used to waterproof boats, in an experiment to prove his point.

At room temperature, pitch appears to be solid and can even shatter if hit with a hammer, but despite its look and feel, pitch can also flow at room temperature--just really, really slowly.

To conduct the Pitch Drop Experiment, Parnell melted some pitch into a glass funnel with a sealed stem and allowed it to settle for three years. In 1930, the funnel was unsealed, clearing the way for the pitch to flow freely, but it sure did take its sweet time. … Read more

How often do you see guitars equipped with lasers?

M3i Technologies has come up with a guitar that uses lasers to record chords even before your fingers touch the strings. Talk about enhanced precision.

The instrument makes use of Laser Pitch Detection (LPD) technology. A set of laser diodes are placed on the bridge of the guitar and each string has its own laser beam extending across the frets. Once your finger passes through the light, the system in the guitar takes note of the laser beam's length and calculates the string's pitch.

Theoretically, these signals could be used to control just about anything (Pac Man, anyone?) or used as a controller for music-based games such as Harmonix's Rock Band.

Watch this video for more: … Read more

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Sony has made its last PSP Go and shall make no more

T-Mobile launches an app that lets you make voice calls through Facebook

Facebook is expanding its social reporting system for users to report harassment

Microsoft offers up Office 365 as a public beta

Google opens Map Maker to Americans

AT&T closes shop on its local listing site, Buzz.com

A robot will throw the opening pitch at the Phillies game today

Goaaal! is a soccer shootout arcade game, in which you try to rack up the best score possible by taking successive shots on goal.

The interface is simultaneously simple and tricky: you have a fixed view, facing the goal (and the goalie), and you just flick your finger to kick the ball. The trickiness comes from mastering accuracy (requiring much trial and error), learning how to fire on the ground versus in the air, and figuring out how to put spin on the ball by flicking from one side or the other. You can also reposition the ball by holding … Read more

Real Soccer 2010 offers the most game types in the iTunes App Store, tons of flexibility in formations and substitutions, and plenty more, but doesn't stand out on the iPhone because of less-than-stellar gameplay and graphics. Though the fields and stadiums look pretty good graphically, the player animations are fairly simple and the overall look is not as realistic as other titles in this genre. The controls include an onscreen joypad and two buttons for passing and shooting. You also get a special dribble move by double-tapping on the screen, but it's always the same move and rarely … Read more

Electronic Arts' FIFA soccer games are the most popular console soccer games worldwide, and FIFA World Cup continues the tradition of having the most complete and polished soccer game. The graphics in FIFA World Cup are second only to newly released Pro Evolution Soccer 2010, but when it comes to fast-paced polished gameplay, this game is tough to beat.

The control system on offense includes a joypad on the left and buttons for passing, shooting, and special dribble moves on the right. Holding down the pass button will increase power for long lobs or cross passes. We found the controls … Read more

X2 Soccer 2010 is a 3D soccer game with some great elements that set it apart from other games in the iTunes App Store, but some key features are easy to miss if you don't look carefully. The graphics are fairly good, though not the best among popular soccer games in the App Store.

The control system for X2 Soccer consists of an unfixed joypad on the left (it appears wherever you press on the left side of the screen), and three buttons on the right for quick passes, shooting, and lobs/through passes. The buttons get a little … Read more

Soccer Superstars is a unique and fun soccer game for iPhone with cartoony, anime-style graphics, RPG elements that let you level-up special players, and challenging gameplay. Unlike most 3D soccer variants you find in the iTunes App Store, Soccer Superstars has a much more arcadelike feel. At the beginning of every match, you're able to choose a special character who plays as a striker with super moves for scoring goals. This arcade style is particularly apparent in the My League mode, which lets you play as your own special player you can level-up and comes complete with special moves … Read more

PES 2010 (or Pro Evolution Soccer 2010) has some of the most realistic soccer gameplay in the iTunes App Store, but it suffers from a lack of FIFA licensing and perhaps a slowish pace. Like many soccer games for iPhone, you can play in tournaments or league play, and you'll be able to select from teams all over the world, but the player names don't match up with their real-world counterparts, which will be disappointing for many fans. PES 2010 is also a bit slower-paced than most soccer games on the iPhone, but this is not necessarily a … Read more