Video: Sixense demos Wiimote-smashing controller

Using a series of extremely sophisticated environments and 1,440 bit graphics, Sixense used CES 2009 rekindle interest in its next evolutionary step in gaming controllers. Okay, maybe the demo scenarios weren’t quite as impressive as that, but Sixense’s TrueMotion gaming controller is nothing short of awesome. Evolutionary is certainly the keyword here as Nintendo did the grunt work in terms of bringing motion-based game controls to the masses, but TrueMotion takes the concepts put forth by the Wiimote and other motion-based options and really moves them a giant leap forward. Using a base station that creates an electromagnetic field around the gamer, TrueMotion allows for a much more responsive experience that is infinitely more precise. The solution will be compatible with existing games along with games designed specifically with Sixense’s controllers in mind. We’ll let Sixense’s demo video, an oldie but goodie, do the rest of the talking. We do however, now finally have firmed up timing and pricing set by the company - expect TrueMotion to become available for PC by year-end 2009 for around $100 (one remote bundled with a game).

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Mercedes-Benz intros SPLITVIEW COMMAND system

It's hardly the first example of the technology -- we saw a very similar system from Delphi in action at CES last year -- but Mercedes-Benz's new SPLITVIEW COMMAND system appears to be one of the first instances of it being used in a production vehicle, and that certainly counts for something. From the looks of it, the system is very similar to the Delphi one, with the 8-inch display able to let the driver keep an eye on the GPS while the passenger simultaneously watches a DVD or something equally distracting on the very same screen. That's done with the use of a special filter that masks the display and only lets the proper pixels slip into view depending on where you are seated. No word on what sort of premium the system will demand, if any, but it'll apparently be available on all S-Class models starting in the summer of 2009.

[Thanks, Donald]

Twin-GPU NVIDIA GeForce GTX295 expected at CES

The next installment of CES is under a month away (crazy, right?), and the leaks around the hinges are already starting to show. The latest dirt on the graphical front is this bit from NVIDIA: a twin-GPU behemoth that'll likely destroy anything else on the market today. Purportedly dubbed the GeForce GTX295, the device will pack two 55-nanometer GT200 chips, 480 total stream processors, 1,792MB of DDR3 memory and a power consumption rating of 289-watts. Other details are currently missing, but don't be shocked to see this locked and loaded in a few brand new machines come January 8th.

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