More on PlayStation Move

Sony's calling the PlayStation Move the "next generation" of motion gaming and planning to market it as heavily as an entirely new console.

Check it out: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/playstation-move-first-hands-on/

PlayStation Move Motion

Sony has officially announced the PlayStation Move motion controller at GDC 2010, calling it the "next generation of motion gaming" because it's so precise -- latency is about the same as the DualShock 3. As expected, it uses the PlayStation Eye camera to track the controller, and Sony says it becomes an "extension of your body." The plan is not only to engage casual gamers, but to use the precision of the controller to create "new experiences for core gamers" -- many of the demo videos we saw involved using a controller video in each hand, and there were quote a few demos of action / RPG games. We also saw a demo of Move Party, which uses the camera to do augmented reality gaming and video chat. The demos are pretty impressive -- Sony's not kidding when it says the Move is incredibly precise. There's also going to be a secondary "subcontroller" with an analog stick for shooters -- you can play all the way through SOCOM4 with just the Move and the sub-controller. (Yes, it's just like the Wii Nunchuk, only wireless.)

Read more here:http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/10/playstation-move-motion-controller-launched-at-gdc/

iPhone 4 to Include Multitasking

Apple this summer will go a long way towards silencing critics and catering to one of the most prevalent demands of its iPhone user base, when it introduces a multitasking solution through the handset's 4.0 software update that will finally allow several third party apps to run concurrently and in the background.

People with a proven track record in predicting Apple's technological advances tell AppleInsider that the Cupertino-based company has developed a "full-on solution" to multitasking on the iPhone OS but offered no specifics on how the technology would optimize resource conservation and battery life -- two of the most critical issues surrounding the matter, alongside security.

Read more: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/11/apples_iphone_4_0_software_to_deliver_multitasking_support.html

Google Maps add Bike Routes

Google added bike lanes and bicycle directions to Google Maps today, allowing you to find routes that aren't too hilly or congested. It's pretty awesome!

Bike functionality is available for over 150 American cities at the moment, but it's safe to assume that, like everything Google does, it will eventually expand to cover most of the planet.

Podcast 2

The Using Technology in Physical Education Podcast (number 2) has been posted - check it out:

http://www.pesoftware.com/Podcast/index.html

PrimeSense talks full-body motion control at GDC

PrimeSense was formed in 2005, and has produced a microchip that, when paired with off-the-shelf optics, can create a 3D grid that a computer can understand. The purpose here is to enable PlayStation Eye-like interactions, or as the company suggests, a "more natural" way to interface with devices you use every day. Rather than grabbing the remote to switch channels or snapping up that HTPC keyboard in order to flip through your stored DVD library, PrimeSense would rather you gently flick your hands in order to turn to change your television station.

Read more ----http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/primesense-talks-full-body-motion-control-at-gdc-the-possibilit/

Apple looking to improve exercise routines ...

A new patent application from Apple describes an exercise motivation feature that presents a "virtual competitor," providing an "interactive and engaging experience" for fitness enthusiasts.

The application revealed this week, entitled "Real-Time Interaction with a Virtual Competitor While Performing an Exercise Routine," notes that while there are currently a variety of methods designed to push athletes farther, some people want something even more engaging.

Fitness enthusiasts sometimes need new sources of motivation, such as when training indoors during inclement weather," the application reads. "Modern health clubs partly serve this need by providing television monitors and music to entertain members using treadmills, stationary bicycles, elliptical trainers, and other fitness equipment. Products like the Nike+iPod Sports Kit provide workout-based voice feedback, motivational media, and the ability to share workouts among Nike+community members."

The application describes a networked system that could download a workout file associated with the virtual competitor. The system could also determine the performance of the athlete using the iPod or iPhone, and compare their performance with that of the virtual competitor.

Such a system could track the "performance metrics" of the user in both physiological terms, such s heart rate, blood oxygen content and temperature, and non-physiological performance indicators, like speed and distance.

As for the competitor, the system could display visual cues, such as location, via GPS, on Google Maps, demonstrating the user's position relative to the virtual opponent. The system could also be done audibly, allowing a runner to focus on their performance.

"For example, as user… passes the 2-mile mark, an audible cue played through the headset… may announce a 2-mile split of 10:27," the application reads. "If user… has a lead… cues may be played if the lead is less than a predetermined distance. For example, if the lead is less than 100 feet, an audible cue may be played, such as 'He's right behind you.' For smaller leads, an audile cue may be the sound of footsteps thumping."

If a user were running indoors on a treadmill, cycle, or elliptical machine, the virtual competitor system could be turned into a game, where the runner can conduct "tactical maneuvers," tracked with a camera, that can be use to complete certain actions. The competitor, represented by a virtual avatar, could potentially be crowded out by the user with a hands-free mouse, and such actions in the game could earn the runner points.

For more information - check out: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/11/apple_looking_to_improve_exercise_routines_with_virtual_competitor.html

Using Technology in Physical Education Newsletter

The March edition of the Using Technology in Physical Education Newsletter has been posted at http://www.pesoftware.com/Technews/news.html

PS3

The PlayStation Network issue that struck late last night has officially ballooned into a full-on PlayStation disaster: Sony is now saying you shouldn't use "fat" PS3 models at all, since a clock-related bug might cause data loss. The PS3 slim isn't affected. Sony says they're working to get this fixed in the next 24 hours.

Sony's Advice: Don't turn on your PS3 until PSN bug is fixed