breakdancing

J-Lo promotes 'finger break-dance' app game

Time to get your rhinestone glove on and let your fingers do the walking -- or dancing in this case.

The Hollywood-backed app Dance Pad makes its debut Thursday on the iPad, with pop icon Jennifer Lopez as its cheerleader.

The title, a rhythm dance game for smartphones, involves hitting the right beats with your fingers, much like the popular dance game Dance Dance Revolution (where you actually dance with your feet).

The app, originally the brainchild of several USC students who were inspired by finger break-dancing videos on YouTube, has the benefit of star power. Besides J-Lo's massive … Read more

The 404 965: Where we tell everyone about it (podcast)

Joseph Kaminski fills in for Wilson again on today's 404 podcast to mediate a most divisive argument: "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" vs. "Dumb and Dumber": who did it better?

We'll also wag a finger at Sony for pushing the U.S. release date back to February 2012, show off a YouTube educational feature guaranteed to upset a ton of schoolkids, and discuss a couple scientists claiming they're getting very close to Matrix-style instant learning.… Read more

Amazing N.Y. subway breakdancers caught on iPhone

I'm not a big fan of anything subterranean, but every time I'm in NYC, for practical reasons, I take the subway.

This time around, it was also because I wanted to find out if the City Transit NYC Subway Guide iPhone app was worth $2.99. I ended up catching something else which, by itself, totally made the one-hour ride from Manhattan to the Bronx worthwhile.

As express train No. 5 started to leave 59th Street and Lexington Ave., two dudes who looked just like regular New Yorker-on-holiday riders turned on their boombox. One called out: "Hi everybody, what you're about to see is the most amazing thing. If you don't like it, boo as much as you want. But if you do, clap and please show your support." Seeing some people taking out their cameras, he added, "You can take video all you want, as long as you pay us."

Without further ado, the two took turns performing the most amazing breakdance I've seen. It was just coincidental that I had my iPhone video on and managed to capture the whole thing. What I didn't capture was the fact that their dance inspired some regular riders to stand up and show off their own moves. I totally heart NYC for this. … Read more

Lasonic updates vintage boombox

In a move that just might reignite Mr. T's breakdance career, Lasonic has announced plans to update their classic '80s full-size boombox design to meet the demands of the iPod-toting modern world. That means no more flipping tapes over between headspins and popping routines. It also means that you can fit the soundtrack to Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo and several Africa Bambaataa mixes onto your Nano to keep the party rockin' 'til the break of dawn.

Wondering if this thing has a mic input so you can bust your rendition of "Rapper's Delight"? Of course … Read more

It's all about makin' paper (iPod speakers and turntables)

Finally. After almost 30 years of waiting, there's a perfect tech solution for breakdancers: a boombox you can break down into a flat cardboard mat and cold bust windmills and headspins on.

The cardboard, AA-battery-powered Mini Boombox for iPod, designed by Suck UK, folds into an iPod speaker system. It can also be used with other MP3 players.

Pricing info is unavailable for the Mini Boombox for iPod. The system is slated for release in September.

We don't expect the speaker system to rival Klipsch's iFi in terms of sound quality or DLO's HomeDock Deluxe in … Read more