CES 2010: TekNmotion
posted:
1/24/2010 11:37:00 AM
One of the most abundant gaming accessories found at CES is the gaming headphone. Whether the company is specifically about gaming, or and audio company in general, there are a lot of headphones to be found and it is difficult to make one that is unique. Well, at my visit with TekNmotion, I think I may have found the unique gaming headphone at CES with the PulseWave 2.
The PulseWave 2 is an update on the original, and will offer both virtual7.1 surround via USB 2.0 or stereo by 3.5mm jack. Some of the upgrades from the original are larger ear cups, a better performing mic that is now removable and has a more flexible shaft and the vibration is now smoother. The 9.5 foot cables give plenty of room to work, but the most unique aspect is that the PulseWave 2 has a vibration feedback system (Sonic Force Feedback) in is similar to rumble in console controllers. You have control over the amount of the vibration, as you can adjust that along with the volume on the in-line. It also uses a battery pack to power the vibration and lights if you are using the stereo jack or a non0powered USB port. Standard ‘AAA’ batteries should give about 3-4 hours if use, plus rechargeable batteries can be used as well.
From what I can tell, the PulseWave 2 will help create a total immersive gaming experience, depending on your controllers and your gaming rig. You could be shaking from your head to your toes if everything has rumble in it. There are also plans to come out with a “Warrior” edition (a concept seen in the images below) that will be camo green in color and style and may be bundled with a game. I tried on the set in my meeting and they performed exceptionally well. The sound was over-the-top good, the Sonic Force Feedback was excellent and the comfort was really good as well. Not to mention the lighting from the ear pieces was pretty cool as well. Even though this was just a small demo, they may have had some of the best overall performance across all categories of any headphone I tried all week. The PulseWave 2 will be available in March with and MSRP around $59.99 and will be found at places like MicroCenter, Amazon, Newegg and Best Buy.
The other big headphone that was being introduced was the X-Wave 5.1 Gaming Headset. It is compatible with virtually all platforms (PS3, 360 and PC) as well as DVD players or other devices like receivers. Some of the features are 8-speaker design (four in each headset), a digital in-line volume control and high-end amp, master volume and individual channel volumes and a detachable mic with a quick-on connection. The comfort is really good to, as I tried these on and they seemed like it wouldn’t be a problem to game for hours or watch a movie with them on. The X-Wave will hit retail with and MSRP of $149.99.
However, TekNmotion isn’t just about headphones, as they had several unique storage solutions at the show as well. The first was the DS “Grab-n-Go” Carry Case, which is a one-stop storage case for all your DS gear and game cases. It can hold up to 8 full DS cases, 12 cartridges, AC adapter, the DS or DSi, and two additional styluses. It comes in a faux leather design with a carrying handle and the best part, it is modular via Velcro. So you can adjust your contents based on what you will be taking in it. Personally, I see a lot of potential for it to be the main storage solution for your entire DS collection if extra cartridge sleeves are made available.
Two other solutions I was shows were the Mini Media Wallet, which has three modular sleeves. The sleeves can be popped out and folded in half (like a wallet) for either the DS cartridges (16 total) or SD cards (12 total). In addition, the case itself has storage for 2 PSP cartridges and 4 flash drives. In contrast, the Ultra Mini-Media Wallet has eight removable sleeves (4 SD for 12 cards and 4 DS for up to 8 cartridges) that are modular, but held in place by thumb screws. It comes in either black or camo style. The DS “Grab-n-go” case will hit retail at $19,99, the Mini-Media Wallet at $9.99 and the Ultra Mini-Media Wallet at $5.99 ($6.99 for camo.)
The PulseWave 2 is an update on the original, and will offer both virtual7.1 surround via USB 2.0 or stereo by 3.5mm jack. Some of the upgrades from the original are larger ear cups, a better performing mic that is now removable and has a more flexible shaft and the vibration is now smoother. The 9.5 foot cables give plenty of room to work, but the most unique aspect is that the PulseWave 2 has a vibration feedback system (Sonic Force Feedback) in is similar to rumble in console controllers. You have control over the amount of the vibration, as you can adjust that along with the volume on the in-line. It also uses a battery pack to power the vibration and lights if you are using the stereo jack or a non0powered USB port. Standard ‘AAA’ batteries should give about 3-4 hours if use, plus rechargeable batteries can be used as well.
From what I can tell, the PulseWave 2 will help create a total immersive gaming experience, depending on your controllers and your gaming rig. You could be shaking from your head to your toes if everything has rumble in it. There are also plans to come out with a “Warrior” edition (a concept seen in the images below) that will be camo green in color and style and may be bundled with a game. I tried on the set in my meeting and they performed exceptionally well. The sound was over-the-top good, the Sonic Force Feedback was excellent and the comfort was really good as well. Not to mention the lighting from the ear pieces was pretty cool as well. Even though this was just a small demo, they may have had some of the best overall performance across all categories of any headphone I tried all week. The PulseWave 2 will be available in March with and MSRP around $59.99 and will be found at places like MicroCenter, Amazon, Newegg and Best Buy.
The other big headphone that was being introduced was the X-Wave 5.1 Gaming Headset. It is compatible with virtually all platforms (PS3, 360 and PC) as well as DVD players or other devices like receivers. Some of the features are 8-speaker design (four in each headset), a digital in-line volume control and high-end amp, master volume and individual channel volumes and a detachable mic with a quick-on connection. The comfort is really good to, as I tried these on and they seemed like it wouldn’t be a problem to game for hours or watch a movie with them on. The X-Wave will hit retail with and MSRP of $149.99.
However, TekNmotion isn’t just about headphones, as they had several unique storage solutions at the show as well. The first was the DS “Grab-n-Go” Carry Case, which is a one-stop storage case for all your DS gear and game cases. It can hold up to 8 full DS cases, 12 cartridges, AC adapter, the DS or DSi, and two additional styluses. It comes in a faux leather design with a carrying handle and the best part, it is modular via Velcro. So you can adjust your contents based on what you will be taking in it. Personally, I see a lot of potential for it to be the main storage solution for your entire DS collection if extra cartridge sleeves are made available.
Two other solutions I was shows were the Mini Media Wallet, which has three modular sleeves. The sleeves can be popped out and folded in half (like a wallet) for either the DS cartridges (16 total) or SD cards (12 total). In addition, the case itself has storage for 2 PSP cartridges and 4 flash drives. In contrast, the Ultra Mini-Media Wallet has eight removable sleeves (4 SD for 12 cards and 4 DS for up to 8 cartridges) that are modular, but held in place by thumb screws. It comes in either black or camo style. The DS “Grab-n-go” case will hit retail at $19,99, the Mini-Media Wallet at $9.99 and the Ultra Mini-Media Wallet at $5.99 ($6.99 for camo.)
