Hot on the heels of their Sonos-rivaling MediaCAST2 system, Yamaha have announced their neoHD Media Controllers. Pulling together multiple AV components with a simple, HTPC-style “Watch/Listen/Play” UI, two models are on offer: the entry-level YMC-500, which includes remote IR control, and the YMC-700 which adds WiFi for networked content streaming, Rhapsody online music, internet radio and iTunes AAC support thanks to an included license for TwonkyMedia Server.
What’s better than a remote-controlled truck? Why, a remote-controlled truck with a hidden remote-controlled helicopter inside it, that’s what! The Silverlit Heli-Mission SWAT Truck is a full-function toy truck, the rear section of which flips open to reveal an indoor helicopter on a rising launch platform.
Video demo after the cut
NKK Switches have announced a new control that integrates a compact 96 x 64 OLED display. The OLED Rocker has a 0.92-inch monochrome OLED panel with broad 180-degree viewing angles, and offers both up/down navigation as well as push-enter functionality.
The control joins NKK Switches’ existing display-control range, which already features a color-OLED button. However that control is only a push-button, and requires a far deeper panel mount.
MvixUSA have rolled out their latest mediaplayer, the Ultio. A network-connected UPnP streamer, the Ultio has an optional internal hard-drive, can display content from Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and others, and has a variety of connection options. The company is also claiming that the Ultio supports the largest array of AV formats and codecs for any such device.
If the thought of remotely controlling you Rovio robot webcam from a cellphone is appealing, but you don’t have a BlackBerry, then AndRovio may be the solution. Poignant Projects’ app runs on Android devices, and allows full control of Rovio including live webcam viewing, camera position control and snapshots.
If it feels like a long time since you first saw the Hillcrest Labs Loop Pointer, that’s because it has been. We first spotted the motion-sensitive ring controller back in November 2006, but the company has only now released it for direct consumer purchase. Your money gets you a wireless controller with four buttons and a scroll-wheel, that you tilt and gesture with to control your HTPC or presentation.
If you regularly miss phonecalls because your TV or music is turned up too loud, or you want to avoid that desperate hunt-for-the-remote before the answerphone picks up, the TV Silencer may be for you. It may not be pretty, but it can automatically mute your TV or stereo, or even pause your DVD, whenever a call comes in.
Video demo after the cut
Well this is pretty neat. It’s called the Peregrine and it’s a nifty little accessory for PC gamers that want a more hands-on approach to their gaming. Yes, this glove here is actually a video game controller.
Brando have unveiled a useful hard-drive adapter, which turns any 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drive into both an external USB drive and a mediaplayer. Connecting to a TV or other display via HDMI, the SATA HDD Multi-Media Player Adapter can funnel up to 1080i resolution content through its own on-screen mediaplayer app.
Robot-maker WowWee’s latest toy has been previewed, and if piloting their Bladestar helicopter left you in fear of your walls, lights and pets, then the WowWee Hoverpod should prove a little more manageable. A micro-hovercraft made from impact-resistant EPP foam, the Hoverpod uses WowWee’s usual IR remote for controlling and recharging.
SlashGear Japan
