Leapfrog's Nintendo DS competitor hits stores

A few months ago we got a preview of Leapfrog's new handheld learning/gaming systems, the Didj (US$89.99) and Leapster 2 (US$69.99)--and now they're officially available.

LeapFrog doesn't exactly bill the Didj as a Nintendo DS competitor, but the new device is geared toward six- to 10-year-olds, an age bracket where the DS currently rules. Meanwhile, the Leapster 2 is targeted at even younger children.

The idea behind the Didj is to up the gaming and graphics ante while continuing to integrate the learning stuff that the company's known for. Those educational elements are starting to show up in a handful of DS games, but LeapFrog's giving the whole educational-gaming slant a harder spin to appeal to parents who would prefer to have their grade-schoolers graduate to something other than the DS.

While the Didj doesn't have a Wi-Fi connection like the DS, there's a whole online angle that LeapFrog's working with its LeapFrog Connect Application. The application lets children customize game content (the device connects via USB to both PCs and Macs).
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Portable arcade tabletops of the 1980s

The year was 1983--the last De Loreans were produced, the final episode of M.A.S.H. aired with more than 125 million viewers tuning in to watch, the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign debuted, Jaws went 3D (don't know why), and the A-Team released so much ammunition without ever hitting anyone--Oh, What a Feeling!

This time portal has been initiated because I've dug something up from my closet. Not a skeleton, but a working 1983 original Game & Watch Nintendo Popeye tabletop system. For those who don't know how the Nintendo tabletop models worked, the LCD is mounted on the top of the game and reflects onto the mirror. It is illuminated via an opaque panel on the top, which works as a natural light source in order for the game to be visible. Color is simulated with a colored film placed over the LCD. The convenience of a rechargeable battery pack or adapter didn't exist. Instead, two "C" batteries powered it. The tabletop also doubled as a clock, hence the name Game & Watch.
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MP3 player brings back the safety pin

Where some companies try to reinvent the wheel, others simply find ways to go back to low-tech solutions--very low tech. Case in point: The "Cool Man" MP3 player from Chinese manufacturer Newman fastens to your personage with a safety pin. That's right, the kind of thing used for diapers before Pampers.

Now that's an unusually retro idea, to put it mildly, when others are going out of their way to find alternative solutions to crossing apparel with mobile entertainment. To be fair, it should be noted that the Cool Man does have more modern features, such as an OLED display, a built-in microphone, and, judging by the photo from Engadget, some water-resistant properties. But as others have noted, Newman missed an opportunity to market these as MP3 buttons for the presidential campaign.

Via CNET Crave

Prominent videogame institute opens in Singapore

The new DigiPen campus in Singapore
DigiPen is not the name of some new tablet pointing device. It's the name of an institute that offers degree courses which relate directly to videogame design. The school has two campuses in the US, and today, it officially opened one more in Singapore. Founder and president of the institute, Claude Comair, was in town for the opening and gave an overview of the purpose of the school and what it hopes to achieve in the island-state. From the time it set up shop in Washington till today, the number of companies creating videogames around it has increased from below 10 to more than 100. Comair is hoping the same effect will occur with the Singapore campus.

In case you are wondering what the big deal is about this school, consider the work of some of its graduates. Portal, the award-winning game developed and published by Valve Corporation, was first conceived by some DigiPen students who were employed by the company upon graduation. Other famous games worked on by past graduates have included Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (Nintendo) and Blood II: The Chosen (Monolith Productions). Imagine, the chance that a future hit game in 2011 may just come from your own backyard. The first line of the Portal theme song, Still Alive, truly describes its awesomeness: "This was a triumph."

UK's Roberts claims first solar DAB radio

It seems surprising that no one has done this already, but UK-based Roberts claims to have the first solar-powered DAB radio. The aptly named solarDAB has UV-absorbing panels built into the top of the unit and indicates its power level on a small display.

As Engadget notes, Roberts has tried to expand beyond its usual retro designs with some bright colors, but it still looks pretty staid. A full charge is supposedly good for 27 hours, but remember, we're talking about a UK-based product, so solar supplies may be limited.

Via CNET Crave

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