Force Dynamics - Affordable Real Virtuality

Are you crazy for flight/driving simulators? Then you'll definitely want to see what I have to show you today. Force Dynamics is a company that specializes in turning virtual reality a lot more realistic. Just check their amazing 301 model in action.



Or, if you prefer F1 racing:



You can find a lot more info and videos on Force-Dynamics.

They call their 301 model a "low-cost" solution - and while I do agree that's quite affordable for professional/commercial simulators, I don't think many hardcore gamers will be ready to hand out $37,500 for it.
These models are designed for professional use - in fact, for added realism they can even offer you a more advanced model:

We also have a 401 with a base price of $52000.00 USD. The 401 has a 4th, yaw axis, which provides 180 degrees of rotation. This was designed to be used as a training simulator for professional race drivers and other high performance drivers.

I sure wouldn't mind taking one of those out for a spin. :)


But all is not lost... and for 2008 they expect to have their new Force Dynamics 201 model ready for shipment .
The 201 will be aimed at the simracer/home user. Basically it will be a scaled-down version of the 301 with more limited motion, but - more importantly - also with a much smaller price tag.

Keep your eyes and ears open, as you may very well be sitting on one less than a year from now.

I do think Force Dynamics may be tapping into an unexplored market here - lots of people invest a lot of money on "gaming". An affordable flight/driving simulator one could have in their own gaming room would surely be a huge success.

Anyone care to comment on how much you'd be willing to spend on such a system?

Eee PC gets Official Acessories

Asus has just revealed its line of Eee PC official accessories.

This what you'll be getting:

• a mini mouse
• headphones
• a travel charger
  
• and - perhaps more interesting - a 6 cell 7800 mAh battery that extends its autonomy to over 5h.
  

Official link [Asus]

RIAA is getting desperate: Now suing people ripping their own CDs

Seems like 2008 won't be the year RIAA will get to see the "light".

In legal documents in its federal case against Jeffrey Howell, a Scottsdale, Ariz., man who kept a collection of about 2,000 music recordings on his personal computer, the industry maintains that it is illegal for someone who has legally purchased a CD to transfer that music into his computer.

The industry's lawyer in the case, Ira Schwartz, argues in a brief filed earlier this month that the MP3 files Howell made on his computer from legally bought CDs are "unauthorized copies" of copyrighted recordings.

"I couldn't believe it when I read that," says Ray Beckerman, a New York lawyer who represents six clients who have been sued by the RIAA. "The basic principle in the law is that you have to distribute actual physical copies to be guilty of violating copyright. But recently, the industry has been going around saying that even a personal copy on your computer is a violation."

Good... now you're alienating everyone actually buying CDs... good move... good move...
Hopefully by 2010, most artists will already be using newer and more appropriate distribution channels, and RIAA will be left defending... oh... there will be no need for RIAA anymore.

via [Washington Post]

I Am Legend - Future movies and Gas prices

The good thing about movies portraying near future scenarios is that you often get a glimpse of "small" details inserted into some scenes.

In Will Smith's I Am Legend, look at what you can see on one of the scenes:



Isn't that a Batman VS Superman movie poster? Who knows, maybe they're just creating the buzz to see see how the public reacts... :)

The following frame is also quite interesting:


Have you noticed the gas prices? 6.63 USD for regular Mobil gas, ouch. That's double from now.
And considering the "world" was in that state for nearly 3 years, those prices should be from sometime next year.

Why you should care about Net Neutrality