Here we modify battered, crappy cars—like this 1988 Oldsmobile Delta—in just four weeks using "a few motors, potentiometers, a Compact RIO embedded controller, and LabVIEW," which get connected to the iPhone using Wi-Fi. And then we strip out the doors for fun. And we ride it on top of its roof. Hopefully to an In-n-Out drive-in. Would you like to do it yourself? Your lucky day, Mad Max. Here's a video tutorial:

And if that wasn't enough, you can also drive it using a modded Power Wheels truck. America, I salute you. [Engineer Awesome via LikeCool]

There are not a lot of details except what you can see in the video. The GPS- and Wi-Fi-equipped Spirit of Berlin—as they called the car—uses drive-by-wire controls, with mechanic parts to operate the pedals. On its top, there are video cameras and pewpewtastic laser 3D sensors.

The iPhone connects to the car using Wi-Fi, transmitting acceleration data to the car in real time. It looks like the real thing, but maybe it's all a four-wheeled Octoberfest joke. []

According to the WSJ's sources, the new technology will give players "more accurate control over games" than earlier z-depth cameras. Apparently, it may debut as early as next June at E3 but it won't be released until 2010. [WSJ]

The picture looks a little weird—the Xbox and sensor bar do seem a bit Photoshoppy to us—but it definitely sounds intriguing. The sensor bar supposedly has a built-in camera and mic, though Engadget's tipster has "no idea" how it works.

The deal is that you'd have full-body and hand gesture controls—it'll pick up "small gestures" like pinching and grabbing on top of punching and kicking—more video conferencing in games, and you can "move" objects. I kind of hope you won't control fighting games by actually fighting, 'cause then I'd never pull off a piledriver with Zangief in Street Fighter IV. Yes, it does sound like a more evolved version of the PS Eye in some ways.

The whole thing seems a bit too advanced to be true, but maybe Microsoft really has cracked the key to perfect motion controls. E3's in June, so the mystery won't stay one for long. Update: Actually, Microsoft gave us a clue at Techfest in February showing off "writing in the air" with an Xbox logo that makes this seem more likely: [Engadget]

During the initial setup, a female voice walks you through the typical configuration of your home theater. And once you're all set up, you can actually give the remote verbal commands like "Turn on DVD"—a command that's customizable in itself, as it can be programmed to activate just the DVD player or every component associated with the DVD player.

The Talking Remote is definitely at least 50% novelty, but I could see it as a nice compromise to handing a technaphobe a full-blown Logitech Harmony. The Talking Remote will be available late this year for an undisclosed price.

Everything is controlled using a web page, which is connected to the huge setup using X10 power control systems. Alek Komarnitsky says that this year he's using wind energy too, helping with the power demands this thing requires. The system will be online until January 1st between 5:00PM to 10:00PM (GMT -7).

All is completely free, but Alek does it for a good cause, not just to showing us who cool he is and how puny we and our ACME instant tree-in-a-pizza-box are. If you like the show, consider donating some money to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. [Komar]

The BSODomizer does have legitimate uses, like calibrating a screen, but flashing the BSOD without reason is definitely a more entertaining one. Besides, that pun would've gone to waste if it had been called the DIY Image Flasher or whatever. The BSODomizer is available from their website for $79 before shipping, and the site helpfully provides instructions for building your own.

Warning: the source link is NSFW if your workplace has a rule against ASCII drawings of Goatse. I wish I was kidding about that last part. [BSODomizer]

DENVER – Philips Electronics marks the 10-year anniversary of its industry-setting Pronto home control line with the launch of its newest touch screen panel, Philips TSU9800, at this year’s CEDIA Expo in Denver, Colorado.

Philips TSU9800 Pronto Control Panel merges functionality and design, featuring a stunning 6.4-inch VGA color screen and a premium docking station that offers ambient lighting, and the option to completely hide all cables when used in a board-room setting, or coupled with the optional wall mounting plate. The high resolution display is the largest in Philips Pronto line, providing exceptional readability and a control panel designed for maximum comfort, efficiency and ease of use.

With a vibrant display, extended control and personalized performance, Philips TSU9800 builds upon Philips award-winning innovation in home controls. It can control audio/video servers, provides feedback information such as album/DVD art and song information and allows for intuitive and convenient content browsing with a rotary wheel.

“As Philips continues to expand the Pronto line, we add features that simplify user interaction with the system,” said Glenn McImail, Vice President, Philips Peripherals and Accessories. “Philips TSU9800 gives customers a faster and smarter home control system with new features geared to make central home control an easier and more pleasant experience.”

Besides the rotary wheel, Philips TSU9800 comes with just the right amount of hard buttons and cursors for the most used functions such as volume and channel switching. With the added benefit of a reliable one-touch control system for your home, it offers the latest in technology through its advanced infrared learning and sending circuitry, which has the ability to learn and send virtually any infrared code in the AV market.

Also new from Philips is ProntoEdit Professional 2.0. With this advanced PC-editor, custom installers can promptly create any customized form of configuration and/or user interface. This latest version includes many new features including:
• Flat user interface with full drag and drop functions,
• Single-page view allowing easy access to various building blocks,
• Quick start wizard that allows any installer to set up a project with three easy steps
• Revamped page view that incorporates the latest graphical tools to simplify transitioning from portrait to landscape and from QVGA to VGA.

With the added feature of ProntoScript, Philips TSU9800 gives users the option to realize full two-way communication via RS-232 and/or WiFi/IP with third party equipment and selected ProntoScript Partners. Philips TSU9800 is also fully compatible with extenders RFX9400 and RFX9600.

Available in September of 2008, Philips TSU9800 will retail for $2,399 and is available through authorized custom installation distributors across the country and at authorized Pronto dealers and retailers. Philips’ line of award-winning Pronto control panels starts at $499.

[Philips]

Another game pad design (below) was received anonymously and looks like a patent application. It has an analog stick instead of a D pad, and places the Start/Select buttons over on the left. Both seem incredibly useful for games that require precise control—something the tilt sensor is not good for. The upside is that these control pads can serve as a slightly large protective case as well. I, for one, can't wait to actually play NES and SNES games the way they were supposed to be played. [Touch Arcade - Thanks Arn!]

I'd never stick one of these clunky beeping remote finder devices on any remote I gave a damn about. But they are triggered by the tone of the included whistle, which gives you and your clicker a relationship not unlike Lassie and Timmy. Very cool, until you lose the whistle. $18. Bonus: They've got a keychain version with a flashlight and voice recorder, too. [1ofakind via Crunchgear]

A lanyard design, two iPod shuffle variations and a technology that allows production of smooth motion compensated frames by combining multiple interpolation results. Information is scant beyond that, but we do know the remote control patent was filed back in March 2007, and has just now been cleared. Bearing that in mind, the idea may have made it to the scrap heap, but we shall watch this space nonetheless. [ipodnn via Mactropolis]

The Barcelona-born designer says that you can do what you want with the mice after you've caught them. Seeing as I don't have a python, I think I'll make myself a mouse-fur bikini. [Roger Arquer via Dezeen]

As of right now, the device can only turn a CD player on and off (I mean, give a guy a DVD player at least). But scientists are confident that the controls have far more potential, with the goal of checking email on a mobile device. It reminds me of Back to the Future II. "You get to use your hands? That's like a baby's toy!"
[digitalworldtokyo via ubergizmo]

The basic remote functions are handled via run-of-the-mill infrared technology, but it doesn't stop there. In the habit of carrying the remote with you when you leave the room? No worries, the TSU9400 is equipped with 2.4GHz wireless capabilities to operate your home theatre without line-of-sight. The 64MB of onboard memory will remember all of your programmable macros so you can turn everything in your system on/off with the touch of a button. Good things come in small but pricey packages: expect to pay around $900 when this gizmo hits store shelves in the near future.

Full Specs: [Philips TSU9400 FCC Release Info via Technabob]

What else can Rosie do?

Rosie, the brains of these hardware pieces honorifically named Da Vinci and Beethoven, can control all the lighting in your house, hook up with a media server, be linked with iTunes and even have a concierge Web service that'll get you whatever it is you have a hankering for. It's all controlled with that little half-a-baseball you see in the picture there. There's no word on release date or pricing, but we want one with Rosie's voice programmed in. – Charlie White

Linux-based Rosie Home Control [CEPro]