Light Start – Tesla phone-charger, flipping robots, mobile Animal Crossing, Incredibles 2

We have to have one of these Tesla Powerbanks for our phones

Look, we can’t afford a Tesla Roadster. We’d have trouble getting the Tesla Powerwall paid for but the Tesla Powerbank? We might be able to manage that. The Tesla Powerbank is “…[d]esigned and inspired after Tesla’s supercharger monument at the Tesla Design Studio” and features a 3,350mAh battery and a microUSB/Lightning charge cable. And it’ll only set you back $45 (R640) before you pay to have one shipped over here (once there’s stock again). And you’ll want to, because then you can brag that you left your Tesla at home. It’s technically true, they don’t have to know that you’re able to stick it in your pocket. Do they?

Source: Tesla

Try thinking of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas as anything but human after watching this

It’s one thing to see a robot being tested while tethered to a power source, it’s quite another to see it moving quickly and with more agility than the average person. Then that collection of metal and motors takes on a whole different cast as you start seeing it as something approaching what we are. That’s the impression you’ll get from this video of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, who has been spending time in the gym. Watch the robot Crossfit its way over obstacles before ending its little exercise routine with a very neatly-accomplished backflip. It’s hard to see this and not feel excited. And, truth be told, a little worried. We could use Atlas to hep colonise Mars one day. Or Atlas could use us to make sure that he and his robot overlord brethren are always nicely polished. Could go either way.

Source: Boston Dynamics (YouTube)

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp launches 22 November

Perhaps you’ve encountered Animal Crossing before, that cutesy-looking game that is deceptively addictive? Then you know that just how many hours this innocuous-seeming title is able to devour when you’re not paying attention. And Nintendo is going to be releasing it on smartphones? Do they have any idea what they’ve done to world productivity? Probably, yeah, and so will you when Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp releases on Android and iOS on 22 November. Good thing the year is almost over, the holidays will give you time to play this one to bits without getting in the way of your less-fun job.

Source: Nintendo (Twitter)

It’s only taken over a decade but here comes The Incredibles 2

It’s been a decade or so (give or take three years) since The Incredibles, a Pixar film about superheroes in retirement (also known as Watchmen for kids, minus the naked blue guy). Since then folks have been dying for a sequel, little realising that The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer – a video game you didn’t know existed — was supposed to be it. An actual sequel was announced in 2015, though, and it’s going to involve the baby that gave that poor babysitter a severe of PTSD, if the newly-released teaser trailer (seen above) is any indication. We’ve also got a launch date for the film — expect to see it on 15 June 2018.

Source: Disney-Pixar