SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video)

Almost as a dare, Shoryuken challenged its fans to produce a fighting game-style controller for Starcraft II. Mauricio Romano took them up on that contest and won with a surprisingly polished arcade stick of his own. Its cornerstone is a heavily modified Ultrastik joystick that's turned into an on-controller, two-button mouse. You didn't think a PC gamer would cling to a plain joystick, did you? In the process, the usual 101 keys of a typical keyboard have been pared down to a set of 26 buttons most relevant for Blizzard's real-time strategy epic. Packaged up in a single, polished USB peripheral, the one-off prototype's design is good enough to imagine a Major League Gaming pro taking it out on the road. We'd put that idea on ice for now, though: as Mauricio shows in the video below, the learning curve is steep enough that most players won't be fending off diamond-league marine and zergling blitzes anytime soon.

Continue reading SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video)

SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CyanogenMod's Steve Kondik and crew talk Android hacking in Google I/O video

If you've ever slapped a CyanogenMod ROM on your Android phone instead of waiting months or longer for an official update, you may have wondered who was behind it and how they did it. Well, CM founder Steve Kondik spilled the beans to developers at Google's I/O conference, and the first half of that presentation is now up on YouTube. It not only provides the modders' MO, but also reveals a few things about the green robot itself. The second half of the presentation will be coming soon as well, but this one is must-watch territory for tinkerers -- go past the break to check it out.

Continue reading CyanogenMod's Steve Kondik and crew talk Android hacking in Google I/O video

CyanogenMod's Steve Kondik and crew talk Android hacking in Google I/O video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 07:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video2Brain: Adobe InDesign CS6 - Learn by Video

Video2Brain: Adobe InDesign CS6 - Learn by Video
English | Team: N/A | .mp4 | 2.22 GB
Genre: Video Training
InDesign CS6 is desktop publishing software for the age of mobile, offering state-of-the-art features like Adaptive Design Tools, which let you repurpose layouts to look great on a variety of page sizes, orientations, and devices. And of course it does everything you expect InDesign to do, giving you precise control over text, images, and colors so you can create amazing designs. In this Learn by Video course (created in partnership with our friends at Peachpit Press), Adobe Certified Expert Kelly McCathran takes an in-depth look at InDesign CS6, from the very basics to advanced features like book-building and dynamic content.]]>

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Video: Watch a craftsman build a Ural sidecar by hand

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Motorcycle, Russia

We're in love with the Ural line. The bare-bones bikes have a rugged, no-fuss appeal, but they're also pricey. There's good reason for that: most of Ural's products are hand-built by master craftsmen. Take the video below as proof. Visitors to the Irbit, Russia facility responsible for constructing the bikes recently got to see just what goes into stitching a sidecar together. There are no robots swinging panels around or making precision welds. Just one guy, some metalworking equipment, and a little patience.

The gentleman in the video manages to assemble the sidecar in just under four minutes. That's a lifetime in manufacturing, but well worth it in our judgement. How many items in your care were assembled by skilled hands? How many will be around in 10 years? How about 30? If our experiences with Ural are any gauge, this robust sidecar is in for the long haul.

Continue reading Watch a craftsman build a Ural sidecar by hand

Watch a craftsman build a Ural sidecar by hand originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch this 19-year-old F2 racer dramatically save his own bacon in the wet

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Etc., Europe, Safety, Videos

Dino Zamparelli has mad skills behind the wheel of his FIA Formula 2 machine, and he managed to show just how good - or how crazy he is - on Belgium's legendary Spa circuit.

As the track filled with rain mist from cars in front him, Zamparelli, 19, sped toward a group of cars clustered together at 150 mph. The racer narrowly misses a slowing car that appears at the last second from out of the mist, deftly swerves out of the way on to the grass, passes two more and then cleanly brings his car under control back on the slick track.

Amazing.

Of course, not all of the Youtube specators were as impressed, pointing out that Zamparelli may have also missed a yellow flag, telling everyone to slow down. Zamparelli defends himself in the comment thread on YouTube:

"Actually just to clarify - we had already passed the incident that caused the? yellow flags and for the? safety car boards to come out. If you look at the car ahead, he was actually pulling away from me up eau rouge, because we were trying to catch up to the safety car. Someone then slowed down on the straight line after eau rouge and that caused everyone to bunch up...so my reactions were not to a yellow flag situation, but to another incident which had just occurred"

However, the one comment seemed to sum up the whole breathtaking experience:

"Almost died, gained 3 or? 4 places in the race. Standard."

Scroll down to check out the near crash from Zamparelli's point of view.

Continue reading Watch this 19-year-old F2 racer dramatically save his own bacon in the wet

Watch this 19-year-old F2 racer dramatically save his own bacon in the wet originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gear4 speaker dock supports USB audio for Jelly Bean at Google I/O 2012 (hands-on video)

Another day, another speaker dock. We initially dismissed Gear4's latest accessory at Google I/O 2012 until we noticed that the attached Nexus 7 was playing audio digitally via the USB port instead of simply through the headphone jack (or wirelessly over Bluetooth for that matter). It turns out that Jelly Bean supports USB audio, a software feature that's bound to spearhead a whole new generation of accessories for Android devices. Gear4's universal speaker dock with alarm clock radio is the first to handle USB audio. While the sound for any app can be routed to the USB port in Jelly Bean, the functionality is missing from older versions of Android. Thankfully, Gear4 includes an app with its accessory that can be used to set alarms, sync time, tune the radio and play media over the USB port on legacy versions of Android. Want to know more? You'll find our gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Gear4 speaker dock at Google I/O 2012

Continue reading Gear4 speaker dock supports USB audio for Jelly Bean at Google I/O 2012 (hands-on video)

Gear4 speaker dock supports USB audio for Jelly Bean at Google I/O 2012 (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 09:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volkswagen Polo R WRC takes to the air during tests

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Racing

There should be a production version of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC that's simply called the Polo RC, as in "RC car." Watching the diminutive VW being tested in Finland in preparation for next year's World Rally Championship makes us think "Wow, that's awesome!" and "Who's got the remote?"

The rawer, wider, lighter Polo is powered by a Pratt & Whitney 300-horsepower, 1.6-liter STI engine, and sounds it. It might take some time for it to start winning, but there's proof in the video below that it will fly from the very first rally.

Continue reading Volkswagen Polo R WRC takes to the air during tests

Volkswagen Polo R WRC takes to the air during tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nike+ Basketball and Training stat tracking shoes launch, kick off 'Game On, World' challenge (video)

While the Nike+ fitness tracking platform has been around for years, the footwear giant has only just unleashed shoes with the technology built right in. The Nike Hyperdunk+ (last seen skying through the FCC) is its first basketball shoe in the line, while the first training shoes are the Lunar Hyper workout+ for women and Lunar TR 1+ for men. All feature not only the new Nike+ Pressure Sensor that tracks its wearer's movement, but also lightweight Flywire construction and Lunarlon cushioning. Both can wirelessly transfer their data to apps on user's phones (currently iOS only, pre-iPhone 4S hardware will also need the $20 Nike+ Sport adapter) or PCs, tracking activity during games, height on a dunk or movement as part of a training workout or drill.

So what is Nike going to do with all that data? Its first plan for the summer is "Game On, World", which is a series of challenges inspired by pro athletes encouraging all Nike+ users to set their personal bests in various categories. If you're still not sure how all this comes together, there are several demo videos embedded after the break. Now all we need to do is find someone (else) to get all sweaty, let us know if it works and keep us on top of the leaderboard -- has anyone seen Dan Cooper lately?

Gallery: Nike+ Basketball and Training

Continue reading Nike+ Basketball and Training stat tracking shoes launch, kick off 'Game On, World' challenge (video)

Nike+ Basketball and Training stat tracking shoes launch, kick off 'Game On, World' challenge (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 08:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Here's the Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare stunt from X Games

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Videos, Specialty

Yesterday, Team Hot Wheels drivers Tanner Foust and Greg Tracy suited up and executed the Double Loop Dare stunt at the X Games. The pair went through the 66-foot-tall loops, which replicate a similar Hot Wheels toy track set, hitting 52 miles per hour and pulling 7Gs in the process. Nifty.

The successful stunt gets marked down as a Guinness World Record, next to other amazing feats like the World's Largest Collection of Rubber Ducks. You can watch video of the stunt below, and check out photos in the attached image gallery as well.

Continue reading Here's the Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare stunt from X Games

Here's the Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare stunt from X Games originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Stop-motion engine rebuild makes it look too easy

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Videos, Humor

The Triumph Spitfire is an interesting piece of engineering. There's plenty to love about the pint-sized convertible. It weighs so little, an enraged internet writer can pick it up enough to scoot it sideways in the garage with his bare hands. Early examples were drop dead gorgeous and foolishly simple to work on, and parts are perfectly easy to find. But there are drawbacks, though. For one, the machines are about as safe as trying to tie your shoe laces with a rusty blender, and reliability is a term we can confidently say was never muttered in the Triumph offices of the day.

Then there's the power problem. Four-cylinder models were propelled by an anemic 1.3-liter engine with around 75 horsepower when equipped with dual SU carbs. This isn't a machine we'd call quick.

Still, the cars command a surprising loyalty from fans, and one die-hard Spit owner recently went through the headache of completely tearing down and rebuilding the tiny four-pot. He was also kind enough to film the whole process in stop motion. The toil took 11 months, and the quick film features over 3,000 images. Check out the video for yourself below.

Continue reading Stop-motion engine rebuild makes it look too easy

Stop-motion engine rebuild makes it look too easy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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