Kotaku's 2014 Toy Gift GuideMike Fahey12/08/14 12:00pm523EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink The holidays are upon us, and and nothing says "Happy Holidays" like the smiles on the faces of loved ones when they unwrap a shiny new toy. From the tiniest pieces of colorful plastic to elaborate collectors items to freaking lasers, here are some choice gifting toys for girls and boys of all ages.
Death Stars It'd Really Take to Destroy a PlanetDan Starkey10/01/14 3:02am814EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalinkEver since I learned how inaccurate Star Wars battles really were, I've been thinking about how off the entire Star Wars universe is. I get it, in a place where people have telekinetic powers and can shoot lightning from their fingers; you can't exactly expect things to line up with… well, physics. When I started…
Misconceptions about Space Battles You Probably BelieveDan Starkey9/23/14 2:41pm19911EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink"In space, no one can hear you scream." Thanks to 1979's hit Alien, that maxim's been part of the popular consciousness for a while now, but there's countless films and movies that just don't seem to get it.
U.S. Military Using Xbox 360 Controller For New Laser GunEvan Narcisse9/08/14 11:30am11910EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalinkControlling military hardware with video game input devices isn't new. Drones, bomb defusal robots and other battlefield equipment have steered by Xbox 360 gamepads for a while now. But the newest weapon using a Microsoft-made controller might be one of the most powerful ones yet. It's a laser on top of a truck that…
Navigating a Maze of Real Lasers is Harder Than You'd ThinkChris Person7/16/13 1:30pm1006EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink Look — We all love lasers. And we all agree that mazes made out of lasers, a la the movie Entrapment, are awesome. What you may not realize is that navigating a laser maze in real life is harder than you’d think.
Here's a Dinosaur-Riding MMO You Can Play in Your Browser Right NowMike Fahey12/18/12 2:55pm30EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink Why are you sitting on your ass reading a website when you could be sitting on a dinosaur while wearing a cowboy hat and shooting lasers? Why do I even have to ask a question like this?
The Battle of the Portal-Singing Lasers is Joined By Two Amazing Versions of "Want You Gone"Mike Fahey3/30/12 12:00pm22EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink Last week I posted Chris DePrisco's fiber laser rendition of Jonathan Coulton's "Still Alive", the ending theme from Portal, with an implied suggestion that Portal 2's "Want You Gone" receive similar treatment. Well it did. Twice. From two completely different types of lasers.
Power Up The Tiny Little Tractor BeamsMike Fahey9/08/10 5:20pm1371EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink Researchers from the Australian National University have built a working tractor beam of sorts, ensuring that those wily rebels won't get far, as long as their spaceship is the size of tiny glass particles.
This Was Live-Action Asteroids, And Two Other GamesAulistar Mark6/08/10 12:00pm17EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink Gamers young and old dream of the possibility of being sucked into the world of their favorite video game. Over the Weekend I witnessed live action renditions of Atari classics Kaboom and Asteroids at the Come Out and Play Festival.
Who Needs Health Packs When We've Got Lasers And Nanotech?Mike Fahey5/06/10 2:30pm1361EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideGo to permalink While we're busy fumbling through dark corridors and navigating twisting platforms searching for health packs, food, and other esoteric life-saving items, the Air Force is healing wounds with lasers and nanotechnology.