Gizmodo: Dice

MotionX Dice Contains Realistic Dice Physics, Is Free

Jason Chen — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:20:00 EDT

Fullpower's just released a free version of their MotionX Poker iPhone app containing just the dice-rolling part of the gameplay. You roll dice by shaking the phone, which is then rendered quite well in 3D. Hell, even Walt "Goatberg" Mossberg loves this thing, and he doesn't seem like a guy who likes gaming. Our only wish is that you could change the number of faces on the dice, which would make it useful for D&D and other nerdlinger games. [Apple]

On another note, it seems this game uses vibration when you roll, which we thought was a no-no under Apple's rules. Strange!

iPhone Dice Game Simulates Real Dice Rolling Using Sensors and Physics

Brian Lam — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:02:18 EDT

This Dice game is by far the coolest game I've seen, and it's got amazing tech inside which takes advantage of the iPhone's sensors like no other app. Here's how it works: You shake the iPhone and it rolls the dice inside, which you use to play poker. But instead of using some dumb random number generator, it captures your hand's motion and rolls simulated collisions between the virtual dice. This game is great but its just a sampling of the tech from Fullpower, the company Philippe Kahn, creator of the camera phone in 1997, has been developing in stealth for 5 years until today. Yes, this is the tip of a giant iceberg full of gadgets exactly aware of what we're doing with them at all times.

Fullpower is, at its heart, an advanced sensor data processing company. This game is using Fullpower's Motion X tech, which is used to simulate physics, predict motion patterns, and process sensor data. To put it pretty simply, it does "for motion what speech recognition does for voice." While a Wii just takes raw sensor data, a motion X layer can simply detect whether or a gadget is being carried in a pocket or in a hand and also distinguish whether that person is walking or running or driving in a car. Or sensing that a person with a pacemaker is walking quickly and up their heart rate. Fullpower also applies this same sort of interpretation to every kind of sensor you can think of: light, camera, pressure, heart rate, GPS, audio, temperature, etc. Using motion sensors in conjunction with a camera's data could help optimize the timing at the moment a person's wavering hands are at their stillest.

They're not going to make many products directly, but are working with a bunch of companies to put all of this tech in tomorrow's gadgets to make them more aware of what we're doing.

For now, enjoy the game.

The Ancient Romans Were Gamers: 2nd Century Glass d20 Sold for $17,925

Jack Loftus — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT

We can only guess what the ancient Romans might have thought about the latest revision of the Dungeons and Dragons rulebook (super approachable; they'd love it!), but we do know they were gamers. That's because an incredibly old, incredibly valuable Roman glass d20 was sold at auction by the famous Christie's auction house. For $17,925. Historians know the symbols are Roman, but have yet to figure out which game it was used for. Any guesses, Gizmodo readers/ancient gaming history buffs? [Christie's]

Keyboard Dice Brings Geek to the Streets

Christopher Mascari — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:50:05 EST

Jaehyung Hong, the the same designer that developed the Bluetooth lanyard we showed you earlier, has a slightly simpler design for us. This time it's a set of keyboard dice assembled from the keys of an old keyboard. Each side of the die has a specific key that would correlate to any set of game rules. But don't expect to be taken seriously if you try to drop these in a heated alley dice game. Check the close-up image for more dicey detail. [Yanko Design]

PC Dice Give You Saving Throw Against Hardware Failure

Jason Chen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:20:03 EDT

The DIY PC enthusiasts among you (we used to be one, years ago, before we got an actual job) know what a crapshoot it is upgrading bits and pieces of your rig to stay up to date with the latest games. With these PC Dice, however, you can take all the guesswork out of what components need to be upgraded. Just take the dice, which have operating systems on one die, parts/problems on another, and solutions on a third, and roll to see what your next step is. $27 a set means they're actually cheaper than most components you can purchase for a computer anyway, which makes for a great Xmas present for your favorite computer nerd. [PC Dice via Uber Gizmo via Oh Gizmo via Boing Boing Gadgets]

Giant Dice Rolled Down Mountain to Play Craps

Mark Wilson — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 10:12:08 EDT

In a huge promotional event, online gambling site Gnuf has helicopter-dropped a pair of giant dice down a mountain in Nuuk, Greenland. Standing about 7 feet tall and weighing in at around 1,200 pounds a pop, each die was constructed like a tank, with its steel frame enclosed by steel sheets, all protecting its surely steel heart. And while we can't condone gambling, we can condone airlifting deadly gigantic dice to be haphazardly flung down a mountainside. You know, purely in the name of scientific interest or an especially slow game of Monopoly. [gnuf]

Dice Stacking a Camera Trick? Nope, Here's Slo-Mo Proof

Charlie White — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:15:00 EDT

When we posted an unexpectedly well-received video of dice stacking yesterday, little did we realize that this peculiar activity has been developed into an artform by some amazing magicians. Here's a new dice stacking video from Thomas Fischbach, the same guy we saw in the video update yesterday. For those of you who thought this was all a camera trick, Fischbach shows us his moves in ultra-slow motion. That's some awfully quick sleight-of-hand right there. [Thomas Fischbach on YouTube]

Weird Combo of the Day: Five Dice Free With Glue

Jason Chen — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:00:33 EDT

This has to be one of the weirder combos we've seen, but Ricardo sent in this picture of a tube of glue that comes free with a dice game in his Portuguese supermarket. We know whenever we have to do some home repair we always wish we had some dice to throw around, and we definitely know that whenever we're playing dice, we wish we had glue handy. [Thanks Ricardo!]

Incredible Dice Stacking Trick is Near-Miraculous

Charlie White — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:15:00 EDT

Who knew this kind of dice stacking was even possible? Damn, this guy is good. Are those trick dice? [Break]
UPDATE: Impressed by that video? Think it's a camera trick? On the next page, see another dice stacking video that's even more amazing. They can't all be camera tricks!

Thanks, Andras and Thomas Fischbach, the amazing dice stacker in the second video! [Thomas Fischbach on YouTube]

Dice's Tube Amp for iPod is Well-Stacked, Available September

AddyDugdale — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:19:08 EDT

There aren't many iPod docks with tubes around—and those that seem to be quite 'spensivo. The iTPA-220 from Dice is a cheaper alternative for fifth-generation iPods, boasting a pair of perky Dual 6N3 tubes and 2x20-watt speakers.

iPod tube preamplifier
- True, audiophile quality music
- iPod charging
- Video output for use with Video iPods
- Remote control functions include: volume
control, mute, next/previous track, play/pause
- Dual 6N3 tubes for a warm analog sound
- iPod compatible docking station
- Auxiliary input for additional audio devices such as computers, non-Apple MP3 players and so on

Active Speakers
- Built in 2x20 Watt solid state amplifier
- 4" mid/bass driver and 1" dome tweeter for full dynamic range
- Solid constructed wood acoustic structure enhances the audio quality
- Bass reflex port for increased bass response
- 1/8" audio in.out connectors for preamplifier
- audio cables included

Costing $299, the iTPA-220 is shipping in September, but you can pre-order it on the Dice site now. [Dice Electronics via Playlist]

Fuzzy Gameboy Dice

Jason Chen — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:00:20 EDT

Legend of Zelda stickers and a Halo 3 paint job not getting the message through? Try these Fuzzy Game Boy dice. A Kotaku reader crafted them himself, which means you can't buy them, but they look easy enough to make for a fun day of crafting and sewing with your kids. And that message you're putting out there? "Please, nerdy chicks only." Which isn't all that bad, when you think about it.

Your Mirror Needs Fuzzy Game Boys [Kotaku]

CubeTimer Turns Cooking into a Craps Game

Travis Hudson — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:30:33 EDT

Roll the CubeTimer to determine how long you should cook the chicken. Roll it again to determine the length of time to bake the cupcakes. It is all a game of odds. All right, not really. This digital timer has four sides for 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes. Place the timer with the desired cooking time up and the countdown will begin. It is a pretty convenient timer, but you will be screwed once you have to cook something for 18 minutes. Suckers! $15. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Red Ferret]

20-Sided Fuzzy Dice

Travis Hudson — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 19:40:24 EDT

Fuzzy die are no longer reserved for the rock and roll lifestyle. Latest to land over at the Thinkgeek store is this revised pair of the classic car accessory—the fuzzy 20-sided dice. Hang these on your rearview mirror and roll 0D20 for chance to pick up a hottie on the ride back to your mother's house. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Nerdapproved]

The Die is Cast: LED Shaking Dice Kit

Charlie White — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:58:27 EDT

If you're sick and tired of those damned analog dice, now you can build your own up-to-date dice for the mid-00's with the LED Shaking Dice Kit. It's a $15 set of parts that includes all the components you need to assemble a single die (get two for some real dice throwing).

Shake this assembled contraption, and it flashes its lights and then displays a number of lit LEDs that may or may not be random. Good luck finding an opponent who doesn't think these things are hackable. Now exactly what was wrong with the old-fashioned kind of dice? – Charlie White

Product Page [Think Geek, via Sci Fi Tech]