Denver tryout invites inventors
The sharp-tongued creator and judge of “American Idol” is looking for the next big invention – in Denver. On Dec. 1, representatives from a new show, “American Inventor,” will hold tryouts for Simon Cowell’s latest creation for ABC television. The show is looking for inventors nationwide, with a casting call scheduled at the Colorado Convention Center starting at 8 a.m. Prospective contestants of any age – individuals or teams – can audition with a sketch, prototype or undeveloped concept. The invention must be something suitable for mass production and retail stores. A team of judges will choose a group of finalists who will receive $50,000 to develop and refine their invention. In typical “American Idol” style, the winner of the “American Inventor” will be picked by viewers who call in to vote for the best invention. The winner receives a $1 million prize.
For more information about the show and the casting call, visit www.AmericanInventor.tv or call 877-255-8009
Trackballs offer feel of the past
Video-game veterans have long pined for the return of an ’80s classic: the spinning trackball. This heavy cue ball embedded into arcade machines controlled such classics as Centipede and Marble Madness. Solid and not prone to the skips and jumps of computer mice, arcade trackballs offered a different kind of tactile control. The X-Arcade trackball mouse, a new product available for $99.95 from xgaming.com, is 15 pounds of nostalgia. It works with both Macs and PCs, and it comes with a cable that handles both PS2 and USB connections and is a liberal 10 feet in length. The unit, which needs only to be plugged in to work, has six buttons in groups of three on either side of the ball. (Lefties can rejoice.) It comes with PC versions of 12 classic arcade games, including Asteroids, Battlezone, Millipede, Pong, Super Breakout and Tempest. The X-Arcade can be used to control all the standard functions of a computer, although using it as a replacement for a normal mouse could get a little tiring.
