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Apr 12, 2001
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cars2-150x129.jpg


Taking multitouch to the next level, Disney has released Appmates, small Hot Wheels-sized toys from the Pixar movie Cars, that physically interact with the multitouch screen on the iPad. The cars from Cars "drive" across the screen, with racing and other games reacting to the cars' movements. Disney calls the technology a "virtual play mat" where kids can experience the world of Radiator Springs.

The cars sell for $20 as a 2-pack, with the companion apps available for free. Different toys unlock different features, offering different games if children play with Mater or Lightning McQueen, for example. The toys go on sale next month at Apple and Disney retail stores, and various other retailers.

Apple Chairman Steve Jobs, as the former CEO and owner of Pixar, is the largest stockholder in Disney and a member of the Disney board.

Disney recently released Where's My Water?, which toppled Angry Birds as the #1 paid application on the App Store. The $0.99 game, which is reminiscent of Cut the Rope, involves getting water to Swampy, an alligator who is trying to take a shower.

Article Link: Disney Pairs Physical Toys with iPad Apps
 
Cute and clever. I will be getting it for my 2.5-year old son. I definitely won't be playing myself. ;)
 
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I believe the 1 stands for...
 
i think they do it by the spacing of where the wheels would contact the screen. each car would be a set length of pixels
 
Very clever. The inner child in me loves a smartly designed toy. Should make them a boatload this holiday season.
 
I'd be more worried about my screen being cracked because junior went off a jump with Lightning McQueen and landed on the iPad really hard.
 
just download the free game and carve a car out of an undercooked potato. Your kids will never know the difference :)
 
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Goodbye Nintendo gameboy.This is just the beggining.
 
I remember i used to have just as much with those rugs that looked like they had roads, i could play with my toy cars all day on those. guess times are really changing!
 
I remember i used to have just as much with those rugs that looked like they had roads, i could play with my toy cars all day on those. guess times are really changing!

My 4 year old son has one of those and can spend hours with his cars on it. And it's Radiator Springs. He's a huge Cars fan.

This App, though...I would worry he would be a bit rough with the iPad. I have no issue with him watching movies on it, but playing with a car would worry me.
 
I thought touch screens need heat as well as touch to stimulate them?

Depends on the type of touchscreen, but unless the device is using an infrared detector, heat dosen't matter.
iDevice touch screens don't detect heat at all. They're capacitance sensitive, so at long as they can detect a change in the charge at the point, they'll work.
 
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