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Movies delivered on memory cards isn’t an entirely new development (Sony did it back in the early days of the PSP), but it looks like Paramount and Kingston think the idea is prime for a comeback, and have today announced a partnership that’ll see some of the studio’s movies delivered on SD cards and USB drives. That gets started with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on a (presumably reusable) 4GB Kingston DataTraveler I USB drive that’s available right now for $29.99, and will apparently continue with additional movies offered across Kingston’s full line of memory cards and USB drives, although both parties are staying mum on any further specifics. There’s also no word from any other studios or memory companies just yet, but we can only presume this means slotMovies are right around the corner.

MIT’s electric vehicle prototype may be a long way off from being completed, but if we let that stop us from discussing EVs, we might never talk about them. The headline ambition of this project is a full recharge within 10 minutes, which would eliminate somewhere between four and ten hours of waiting. Speedwise, the Electric Vehicle Team is aiming for a 100 mph top speed from a 250-horsepower / 187 kilowatt AC induction motor, and a not unheard of 200-mile cruising range. To achieve their rapid juicing ambition, the students will strap 7,905 lithium iron-phosphate cell batteries from A123Systems to a gutted 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid body. The batteries’ low internal resistance is what makes things possible, but further hurdles, such as finding a sufficiently powerful energy source, would have to be overcome before any sort of widespread use may occur.

Amazon’s Kindle DX includes a few tweaks such as automatically rotating the orientation of the screen when it is placed in landscape mode and adjustable page margins because… well, CEO Jeff Bezos seems to like the feature. Literally, though, the biggest change is the new 9.7-inch electronic ink screen, which displays two and a half times more content than the 6-inch screen on the Kindle 2 and Sony Reader. The expanded display allows more detailed graphics to be seen without zooming or panning, and is better suited to a wide range of source material including maps, technical diagrams, and sheet music. But textbooks and newspapers were singled out as two printed sources that are particularly significant for the forthcoming device.
These publications both benefit from the larger Kindle screen size, but each face different challenges in finding success on the Kindle DX. For newspapers, the Kindle DX cuts down on the costs of printing. Newspapers, though, are already struggling against competitors that did away with that expense years ago, including blogs that break stories and online entities such as Craigslist, eBay and Google that have siphoned away advertising revenue. Textbooks, on the other hand, have no major electronic competition, and print still retains advantages such as better readability and color. But digital textbooks must compete with used textbooks, a major market on college campuses, and likely will not be able to be resold if other digital content is a predecessor.
At the Kindle DX launch, representatives from The New York Times Company and Case Western Reserve University both characterized their involvement with the Kindle DX as a trial or experimentation. What’s behind the arm’s length embrace?

Sure, the cold metal exterior looks like a regular old car, but the 2010 S-Class from Mercedes-Benz has a fuzzy technological heart, including an abundance of readout displays and a Splitview screen. Quite like it sounds, the Splitview display offers up one view to the driver (like a map), while the passenger sees a completely different image (like a movie, or a picture of somebody looking at a map), and after hearing all about it for the past while, Mercedes is actually giving us a glimpse of it in an overly-dramatic promo video for the latest S-Class to clutter up the roads. Check it out after the break.

BMW has already clearly shown that it wants to make its cars as smart as possible, and it looks like that extends right down to the doors, which have now been smartened up with a little help from the Technical University of Munich. According to New Scientist, the pair have developed a prototype door that uses a range of sensors to detect any oncoming dangers, and work in concert with an accelerometer in the door to prevent it from being opened. What’s more, the sensors are apparently also able to detect the proximity of the object and adjust the resistance of the door accordingly — for instance, slowing the door down if you’re about to slam it into a lamp post. The current prototype does apparently have a bit of a problem when it comes to field of view, however, although BMW says that can be remedied with some added cameras in future versions, which could possibly be in actual cars in as little as a year — though it’s quick to point out that it hasn’t made a final decision just yet.

Gamers everywhere are wondering what Nintendo can do next to top the Wii. Now that Nintendo has (finally) incorporated motion controls that don’t stink (hello, PowerGlove), it seems like virtual reality is the only logical next step. But what if Nintendo isn’t the company to debut true VR controls for the home gaming scene? What if it’s a dark horse company, one that comes from out of nowhere to make a home system not geared toward soccer moms and families but high-end consumers who just have to play their Halo 4 completely immersed in the virtual environment? A design group called NAU may just be that company.

NAU is currently developing the “Immersive Cocoon,” a human-sized pod akin to those seen in The Fly series of movies. Although CNN has discussed the I-Cocoon being the next generation of computer interfaces, the Cocoon is actually designed with videogames in mind. And while it certainly won’t be “the next Wii” in a literal sense, its immersion and interactivity definitely make it a candidate for what’s in store, at least conceptually.

“With full 3D surround sound and graphics as well as native Internet connectivity, the Cocoon is the ultimate gaming environment to challenge friends from around the world,” says NAU’s Web site for the Cocoon. “If action games aren’t to your fancy, why not try next-generation karaoke where you can play an air guitar with a virtual band or sing to an adoring, interactive concert crowd?”

Good questions indeed, and ones that Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are all probably considering at this point, although arguably not in this grand a scale. The Cocoon includes motion-tracking cameras that track users’ movements, essentially doing away with the need for controllers connected to a console. Imagine using not the Wii Remote to hunt enemies in Metroid Prime 4, but your entire arm. Imagine ‘jacking a Wraith in Jalo 5 not by pressing the A or X button, but by literally jumping on the platform inside the Cocoon. This is the gaming world NAU envisions.

The 3D motion-tracking technology used in the Cocoon was, according to CNN, developed by an MIT researcher whose work also inspired “the ‘reach out and grab’ technology” in the Tom Cruise film Minority Report. Reaching out and grabbing in-game characters would inject an all-new level of immersion in gaming, and it would also enable the next generation of console interfaces (Microsoft’s Dashboard and Sony’s Home, for instance) to truly support user interaction a la Second Life — a vibe that Sony appears to be going for already.

NAU’s executive team plans to complete its Cocoon prototype by October 2009, with commercial models available five years later. It remains to be seen, however, whether the technology will ever be cheap enough for mainstream consumers. [Editor's Note: A large part of the sales success of the Wii is, in our opinion, its relatively low cost and thus low barrier to entry.] And make no mistake, the Interactive Cocoon is definitely an expensive proposition.

As shown in the images accompanying this article, the I-Cocoon completely envelops users within its walls — definitely not a system for those with claustrophobia. Inside the Cocoon, a series of motion-tracking cameras in the dome act as the input devices and feed the users’ movements through compact processor units in its base. The visual output display on the LED display is then refreshed instantly to reflect the users’ movement. The result, according to NAU, is that “users can fight in a kung-fu game or swim through a sea of jellyfish, with the display responding in real-time and in surround vision.” That advanced technology isn’t an exactly inexpensive proposition, let alone for mainstream consumers.

Whether NAU can pull all this off is one thing. Whether they can create a system that actually supports this advanced interface for the most popular of the “hardcore games” is another. NAU has a technology team in place that appears qualified to deliver a successful Cocoon, but making the Cocoon a commercial success poses just as strong a challenge.

Gamers are continually on the forefront of technology and interfaces. From Dragon’s Lair to Time Traveler to the Wii, we always like to push technology to the limits. Does the Interactive Cocoon push those limits a bit too much, though? You’ll have to ask Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony; you’d better believe they’ve got people looking at the Cocoon, at least in concept.

Even if the Interactive Cocoon doesn’t appear in a home near you anytime soon — if ever — the prospect of this technology is fantastic. Game graphics and audio seem good enough as they are; it’s the interactivity, interface and immersion we’re most concerned with. If the Wii proved anything, it’s that most consumers feel the same way, even if they are labeled as “only casual gamers.” Yet even hardcore gamers must appreciate this technology. After all, if you wanted to truly “finish the fight” in Halo or eliminate the Helghast in Killzone, wouldn’t it be nice to literally do so yourself?

Thanks To — Jonas Allen

Clearly, the big news from Endless Ideas today at CeBIT was its next-generation BeBook 2. But what about all those existing / to-be BeBook 1 owners? We’ve got a bit of excitement to share with you folks as well. While prying for information today in Hannover, we were informed that one of the biggest issues with the BeBook is being resolved very soon. Yes, friends, WiFi is coming. In just a few months, BeBook users will be able to buy a WiFi-enabling SD card (and download a new firmware update) which will provide wireless access to eBook stores, RSS feeds and lots of other goodies that can only be touched with a live internet connection. We’re told that the WiFi SD card will be sold directly on the BeBook website for around $40, and it should be listed for sale within the next few months. We took the chance to grab some hands-on footage of the original BeBook in video form for you Yanks who’ve yet to see one, and if you hang in there ’til the end, you’ll hear us get tipped off on the forthcoming card.

Sure, Lady Liberty and a bald eagle are great symbols of American freedom, but they’re also perfect covers for keeping tabs on your friends. Ajoka’s cigarette lighter video camera discreetly records 640 x 480 or QVGA in AVI format at 30 frames per second and supports microSD up to 8GB. It’s got a lithium ion battery for 6 hours of filming and is charged via USB. Best of all, it’s still a working lighter — perfect for cheering up your favorite band’s love ballads and simultaneously bootlegging the performance. Your local spy shop can order these wholesale for $150 apiece.

Since Oakley can’t be the only company controlling the fashionable Bluetooth sunglasses market, TriSpecs has unveiled its own technetronic eyewear compatible with Bluetooth-equipped phones and PMPs. The eponymous shades sport two uni-directional mics, one touch dialing, and retractable stereo earbuds that hang at the tip of the temples when not in use. They’re expected to hit retail sometime this month for just under $200 and come in black, white, and metallic options. Attractive model companion is, as always, not included.

Sure we’ve seen glorified dehumidifiers like this before, but we’re a sucker for any aquatic wonder which claims to solve the world’s drinking water shortage. The wall-mounted Watermill from Element Four is the latest “water from thin air” contraption and produces up to 3.2 gallons of water a day, pumped through a trusty ultraviolet sterilizer. But more importantly, it offers to hydrate your family of 6 for a mere thirty-five cents a day in power, not including whatever price Element Four decides to sell it for. Or you could just stick a bucket on your roof and be done with it — we hear it rains occasionally.