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December 17, 2009 9:00 AM PST

KOR-fx, like music to my...chest

by Sharon Vaknin
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Although Rock Band comes pretty close to the "real thing," there's something missing: the vibrations that hit your heart when playing a real drum set.

Immerz, which until recently was a one-man company, created a device that lets you feel real-life sensations of a game, movie, or music. KOR-fx is made up of two plastic devices that lay on your chest and synchronize vibrations with received audio signals.

(Credit: xconomy.com)

President and physicist Shahriar S. Afshar, calls it acousto-haptic technology, something he turned to after three years participating in privately funded research. The result of Afshar's experiment contradicted a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics. Just as he expected, the physics community rejected Afshar's findings.

Lucky for us, his attention shifted to KOR-fx. The idea came from irritation with college students playing video games so loudly. Can't they just turn it down? No, he realized, increasing the volume to disturbingly high levels was an attempt to feel bass, like the physical sensation of a bomb explosion in Counter Strike.

Is this ... Read more

Originally posted at 2010 CES
Sharon Vaknin is the CNET Labs' go-to intern. When she's not testing MP3 players, blogging, or making the lab look presentable, she can be found playing computer games. Sharon formerly worked for Best Buy and is currently studying journalism at San Francisco State University. E-mail Sharon.
November 19, 2009 10:04 AM PST

The 404 Podcast 471: Where we work for No. 2

by Wilson Tang
  • 5 comments

It's National Toilet Day today, and Justin isn't here to celebrate. Fortunately, we more than make it up with dozens upon dozens of fecal jokes. Mark Licea of The Green Show joins the show today to talk tech and...lingerie?

(Credit: CBS Interactive/Wilson G. Tang)

Admittedly, we here at The 404 celebrate National Toilet Day at least three times a day, but we're glad to see that people across the planet are starting to recognize the importance of the porcelain throne. It may sound a bit unusual for us to be so beholden to the toilet, but most New Yorkers can sympathize. After all, most of us here have to deal with a mixed bag of ethnic food and $20 dollar fees to use a public restroom.

In nonpoop news, we talk about a Warner Bros. program to let DVD owners upgrade their discs to Blu-ray versions. The program is called DVD2Blu. This only applies to Warner Bros. films, and viewers must pay a fee of $8 to $10 per disc. We think this is a great idea. Wilson is especially keen on not having to pay $30 for each disc in his "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Wars" collections.

Also, Jeff has a follow up to our video game censorship series. He interviewed Major Nelson of Microsoft to talk about racism, misogyny, and homophobia in online gaming. Check it out. A keen chat room listener though points out the irony of talking about derogatory words when players are shooting people in the head.

If you're worried about your cheating wife or girlfriend, a Brazilian line of lingerie from LindeLucy that comes with a built-in GPS tracking device. Now, the device is not exactly subtle, but for the paranoid ones out there, this might be the trick to keep your lady in line--or get her mad at you, again. Trust, after all, is the bond that holds all relationships together.

Finally, we get to some voice mails and viewer feedback about cool moms that play video games before their children do and an early review of "2012." Wilson is disappointed with the fact that the film won't be available in IMAX. He just wants to watch the world burn. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew remember the movie magic of the first "Jurassic Park" movie. The t. rex at the end: Priceless.

Send in your feedback and callbacks to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com. Or call us! We are after all an audio podcast too! The number is 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Thanks again!


EPISODE 471

Listen now: Download today's podcast



Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video


... Read more
Originally posted at The 404 Podcast
April 5, 2009 10:50 AM PDT

Is 3D DOA?

by John P. Falcone
  • 37 comments

There's an interesting article over at Slate titled "The problem with 3D." I'd encourage you to read the whole thing, but the subtitle pretty much sums it up: "It hurts your eyes. Always has, always will." Author Daniel Engbar argues that today's digital-assisted 3D technology isn't so far removed from earlier incarnations of the 1950s and 1980s, and that it's still effectively hacking your brain's depth perception triggers--and putting a lot of strain on your eyes in the process.

This matters, of course, because Hollywood is doubling down on 3D technology in a big way. In addition to new movies like "Monsters vs. Aliens" and James Cameron's upcoming "Avatar," studios are repurposing existing favorites for eventual 3D releases. And why not? With increasingly affordable giant-screen TVs in the home (and ever-shrinking theater-to-DVD release windows), the industry needs new and more elaborate gimmicks to get customers into the theater.

But it's not just the movie theater. ... Read more

March 31, 2009 3:15 PM PDT

Dolby literally to give you more 3D

by Eric Franklin
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The first time I bought into this this whole digital 3D thing was a 2006 showing of "Superman Returns" on an IMAX screen. In the scene, various objects floated around the screen and seemingly, right in front of my face. For me, this was the first time 3D had lived up to its promise.

If Dolby Laboratories has anything to say about it, it won't be the last. On Tuesday, the company announced that theater exhibitors will now be able to play Dolby 3D Digital Cinema content on screen sizes of up to 70 feet (42 feet was the previous cap).

(Credit: Barco)

If you went to the "Jonas Brothers 3D Concert Experience!" on a 42-foot screen thinking, "You know that was cool, but I still have most of my face attached," just wait until a full 70 feet of pure Jonas Brothers rock completely melts your f#*@ing face off!

Dolby went on to talk about its "environmentally friendly and reusable" Dolby 3D Glasses, which, according to the company, can be used repeatedly, ... Read more

October 8, 2008 5:19 PM PDT

Giant screens are in, spending money on crazy stuff is out

by Eric Franklin
  • 3 comments

With the U.S. economy in the toilet and the world facing increasingly uncertain times while we select the next president, it's good to know you can still go out and buy an array of 12 24-inch monitors for 13,000 bucks.

On Wednesday, CineMassive announced the OmegaPlex, an "Ultra High Resolution Multimonitor Desktop Display Wall." If you're into world domination, you're probably gonna want one of these. For everyone else, well, that will depend on your salary level and, possibly, your sanity.

Study strategic global coordinates in the comfort of your own lair home.

(Credit: CineMassive)

For those of you who are interested--you rich, crazy sociopaths you--CineMassive insists that viewing images on this thing can only be described as "having a personal Imax."

CineMassive cites some notable features:

  • World's "most advanced," dynamic, high-definition, multiscreen, video playback technology plays video of any format across the entire array with a single mouse click.
  • High-performance cooling system ensures whisper-quiet thermal management for 24/7 mission-critical reliability.
  • Available as is or combined with a
... Read more

November 21, 2007 4:00 AM PST

Who shows the best view of 3D 'Beowulf'?

by Stephen Shankland
  • 1 comment

This shot of the queen floating eerily above Beowulf's head as if swimming in water showed off the possibilities of 3D computer-generated movies.

(Credit: Paramount Pictures)

The race for the best 3D movie projection technology began in earnest last week with the release of Beowulf, and I'm here to judge the first lap.

Beowulf, which recounts the Anglo-Saxon adventures of a Swedish prince of that name, is the first wide release of a 3D movie, showing on hundreds of screens in 3D. And for the first time, viewers had the choice not only of watching with Imax 3D and Real D projection technology, but also newcomer Dolby 3D.

Based on watching the movie start to finish three times, the 3D winner is Dolby 3D--and not just by a nose.

Dolby's technology gave a sharp image that showed every beard bristle, the colors were relatively rich, flicker from moving objects was nonexistent, but most significantly, the sense of depth was strong. Even the subtle differences between a character's facial features were perceptible, ... Read more

Originally posted at Underexposed
October 17, 2007 3:09 PM PDT

Imax hastens digital debut

by Stephen Shankland
  • 1 comment

Imax is following the smaller-format movie industry to digital projection technology a bit more rapidly than earlier planned.

The company plans to install three prototype systems in the second quarter of 2008 with a full transformation in the second half of the year. Previously, the company had planned to begin the transformation sometime between late 2008 and mid-2009, the company said.

Click for gallery

"Several key exhibitors, studios and consumer research groups have already experienced the digital prototype we've been running for the past several months, and we are very encouraged by the unanimously positive reaction to the next iteration of the Imax experience," said Richard Gelfond and Bradley Wechsler, Imax's co-chairmen and co-CEOs, in a statement.

Digital movies require expensive new projectors, but they offer some advantages. Digital movies don't wear out with multiple showings, as film does, the image is steadier, and studios don't have to create expensive prints. And digital copies being cheaper, it's easier to launch a movie on a grander scale to head off sales of pirated copies. ... Read more

Originally posted at Underexposed
October 16, 2007 7:02 AM PDT

Dolby 3D finds some cinema fans

by Stephen Shankland
  • 2 comments

Dolby has signed up a passel of cinemas to use its Dolby 3D movie technology, the company announced Monday.

At the ShowEast conference Monday, the company offered a list of independent and chain theater companies that will use Dolby 3D: Carousel Cinemas, Cinema City, Cinetopia, Cobb Theatres, Kerasotes Theatres, Malco Theatres, Marcus Theatres, Maya Cinemas, Megaplex Theatres, Starlight Cinemas, Sundance Cinemas, Warren Theatres, Kinepolis Group of Belgium and Supercines of Ecuador.

Click for gallery

But Dolby still isn't saying how many screens total are equipped with its technology, a key measurement of how the relative newcomer is faring against incumbent Real D. The finish line, or at least then end of this lap of the competition, is the November 16 debut of Beowulf, a Paramount Pictures film directed by Robert Zemeckis that will be available in a 3D version. Real D said it will have more than 1,000 screens equipped with its technology by the debut, but Dolby 3D is just getting started with its technology.

Theaters considering the options have to weigh several concerns, among ... Read more

Originally posted at Underexposed
September 26, 2007 3:17 PM PDT

Photos: Pharell Williams plays Halo 3 on IMAX at UK launch

by Nick Hide
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(Credit: Crave UK)

Surely the most eagerly anticipated game of the year hit the U.K. last night, with a massive celebrity-studded launch event at London's IMAX cinema for Halo 3.

Rapper Pharell Williams, of The Neptunes and N*E*R*D fame, was on hand to show off his fragging skills--or lack of them, as it turned out--on the vast IMAX screen.

Showcasing the game's online multiplayer capabilities, Williams took on other celebrities and competition winners from around Europe. Click here for more of the night's escapades.

(Source: Crave UK)

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