Gadgety News

After quite a lot of teasers, rumours and a smattering of hype RED just this moment went official with their eagerly anticipated DSMC (Digital Stills and Motion Camera) System.

There’s many, many combinations to this thing, be warned.

Let’s start with your choice of the professional Scarlet or “master professional” EPIC brains which can then be configured into about “2,251,799,813,685,248 possible camera configurations” - so says RED in a half-jokey manner ;) 

These ‘brains’ are built upon Mysterium-X and Mysterium Monstro sensors which start at 2/3-inch and end at a whopping 6×17-cm!  Good news is that when a new sensor comes out all you do is just upgrade the brain.

Scarlet will launch in 4 choices ranging from $2,500 (maybe less) to $12,000 with a variety of lens mounts (Canon and Nikon) capable of shooting 3K @120fps on up to 6K @30fps.

If that is still a little on the cheap side Epic will offer similar mounts with capabilities spanning 5K @100fps ($28k) to 9K @50fps ($45k).  Want more? A 28K system hitting 25fps is expected in 2010 for $55k

The first Scarlet systems could come as early as Spring of 2009 while EPIC should arrive by summer. Of course, the brain is just the beginning of the costs.

Just to confuse me even more RED has also introduced a 3D camera today.

RedUser

Who wouldn’t want their own R2D2?

How about one that stands 15 inches tall and is voice activated?

This most famous and loved of the R2 droids (sorry D4!) will respond to around 40 voice commands!

He can even be set to a motion sensor so that he sounds an alarm when he detects movement - that should work to confuse any would-be ne’er-do-wells or at least your drunken partner

And bless ‘im, R2 will happily follow you around as well swiveling his head as he does so.

Being R2D2 he’ll occassionally get grumpy and fall into “bad mood” mode  which can simply be remedied with an “R2 behave yourself!” 

His talents know no end as he can replay sounds and dialog from Star Wars and has been known to groove to the cantina music. 

No need to bargain with a Jawa - just click here and pay $169.95.

BookofJoe

Yessirreee another WiiMote-alike but this one is for the PC.

It’s GoLive2’s Stix collection (200 / 400).

They are wireless motion-sensing controllers designed to play PC and internet-based games, with Games for Windows titles and “thounsands of free web-based games”.

According to Brian Zheng, the president of Plahut,

“[Stix will] completely change the way people experience online and PC gaming”.

Ok - if you say so Brian.

The Stix 200 will apparently only be compatible with 2D games, while the Stix 400 gets to play with the flashier 3D ones.

Due in August when I’m guessing the prices will be let out also.

I4U News

It’s happened!

Sony Ericsson has launched its first dedicated gaming phone - but it’s not the PSP phone :0(

It is, in fact, the F305.

As rumoured it has got gaming controls and motion detecting software (just like the Wii) so that you can control the action with a swing or a swipe of the phone.  This could look rather odd in public. 

It comes complete with a trio of pre-loaded games - Bowling, Bass Fishing and Jockey. 

You can get more of these motion games that have been developed by Gameloft plus there are 50 more 2D and 3D games available for download at PlayNow.

This new slider phone also sports stereo speakers, a media player, 2-megapixel camera and 2-inch screen.

The F305 delivers up to 8 hours talk time GSM, but up to 400 hours on standby.

This quad-band EDGE handset comes in Polar White and Mystic Black and will arrive in the Autumn. 

I’m not entirely impressed but if I can get my paws on it and test it myself I can’t really say.

No costing details as yet but as soon as I know, you will :0)