Developer Ali Tanis has released the first game for iPhones and iPads that’s played using Apple’s AirPods as a wearable motion controller. The RidePods – Race with Head gameplay is relatively basic – you’re just steering a motorcycle through oncoming traffic at high speeds – but instead of swiping the screen or tiling your phone, you control the bike’s movements by tilting your head from side-to-side while wearing AirPods.
The game only works with Apple’s wireless headphones that support Spatial Audio including the AirPods Pro, the AirPods Max, and the third and fourth generation AirPods. Spatial Audio relies on the accelerometer and gyroscope included in those AirPods models to track the movements of your head and adjust the position of the audio accordingly. Tanis announced the game’s release on Y Combinator and while they said they had to reverse engineer the Spatial Audio feature to make their game work, Apple does provide developers with access to headphone motion data so they can incorporate features like fitness tracking into their apps.
RidePods isn’t the most polished iOS or iPadOS game I’ve ever played. There are random graphical glitches such as the road occasionally disappearing, and from the limited amount of time I’ve spent dodging traffic it appears that you’re racing on a perfect straightaway that never curves. It feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized game, but the controls are surprisingly nuanced. I tested it with the second generation AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max and using my head to steer felt both more natural and responsive than I thought it would be.
The bike responds well to subtle movements, even when using just a single AirPod earbud. If you turn off Automatic Head or Ear Detection in your AirPods’ settings, you can even use your headphones or a single AirPods earbud as a handheld controller, but it requires a lot more finesse with your movements and definitely ups the challenge.
The app includes a setting for controlling the motorcycle’s braking and acceleration by tilting your head forwards and back, but I couldn’t detect that having any discernible effect on the bike’s speed. You can also toggle between a first-person and third-person view of the riderless motorcycle, and for those wanting to share their high scores with the world, the app includes a record function that captures both the gameplay and a selfie video of you playing in a single clip.
RidePods – Race with Head isn’t a game I’m going to return to frequently, but I can see the potential of using headphone motion controls for mobile gaming. It’s completely free, but I would definitely pay a tidy sum for a hands-free version of Solitaire that lets me move around stacks of cards using nothing but subtle head gestures and motions.
Source link
#RidePods #iPhone #game #control #AirPods





![‘Project Hail Mary’ Won’t Be Coming to Streaming Any Time Soon
With all the excitement of movies to come this week thanks to CinemaCon, it was almost easy to forget that MGM provided an interesting update on one of our favorite movies of the year that’s already out: Project Hail Mary will head back to IMAX theaters this weekend for an extended theatrical run. But that extension also means one thing: you’ll have to wait to stream it at home for a good while longer. During its presentation at CinemaCon this week MGM confirmed that Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s sci-fi hit would make its return to IMAX screens for a limited-time, one-week run starting this weekend, a move that will likely inch Project Hail Mary ever closer to crossing the $600 million box office mark. But to put a finer point on the news, Miller took to Twitter yesterday to confirm specifically that the extension means you won’t be able to watch the film at home for the forseeable future.
We announced yesterday that MGM is extending the exclusive theatrical window for PROJECT HAIL MARY so it won’t be on streaming anytime soon. This is a movie that needs to be seen on a big screen – and w a full return to IMAX screens for 1 week only starting this weekend, make… https://t.co/suK8NYpgWM — Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) April 16, 2026 “It won’t be on streaming any time soon,” Miller’s tweet reads in part. “This is a movie that needs to be seen on a big screen […] Bring friends and loved ones. It’s an experience to share with others.” Project Hail Mary launched on March 20, so it’s not too surprising that it’s not headed home just yet—it’s just shy of a month into its theatrical window, which has now been extended by at least another week with the return to IMAX. But as studios begin to try realigning towards more theatrical releases with longer exclusivity windows again (one of the lingering aftereffects of covid’s impact on movie theaters), we should probably expect some of the biggest films of the year and beyond to try and hold off of hitting streaming for as long as they can.
At least in Project Hail Mary‘s case, you can still go and see it somewhere, even if it’s not at home. Good things come to those who wait, but for now, you can head to a movie theater to get your fix again. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Project #Hail #Mary #Wont #Coming #Streaming #TimeAmazon MGM,Project Hail Mary,Streaming ‘Project Hail Mary’ Won’t Be Coming to Streaming Any Time Soon
With all the excitement of movies to come this week thanks to CinemaCon, it was almost easy to forget that MGM provided an interesting update on one of our favorite movies of the year that’s already out: Project Hail Mary will head back to IMAX theaters this weekend for an extended theatrical run. But that extension also means one thing: you’ll have to wait to stream it at home for a good while longer. During its presentation at CinemaCon this week MGM confirmed that Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s sci-fi hit would make its return to IMAX screens for a limited-time, one-week run starting this weekend, a move that will likely inch Project Hail Mary ever closer to crossing the $600 million box office mark. But to put a finer point on the news, Miller took to Twitter yesterday to confirm specifically that the extension means you won’t be able to watch the film at home for the forseeable future.
We announced yesterday that MGM is extending the exclusive theatrical window for PROJECT HAIL MARY so it won’t be on streaming anytime soon. This is a movie that needs to be seen on a big screen – and w a full return to IMAX screens for 1 week only starting this weekend, make… https://t.co/suK8NYpgWM — Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) April 16, 2026 “It won’t be on streaming any time soon,” Miller’s tweet reads in part. “This is a movie that needs to be seen on a big screen […] Bring friends and loved ones. It’s an experience to share with others.” Project Hail Mary launched on March 20, so it’s not too surprising that it’s not headed home just yet—it’s just shy of a month into its theatrical window, which has now been extended by at least another week with the return to IMAX. But as studios begin to try realigning towards more theatrical releases with longer exclusivity windows again (one of the lingering aftereffects of covid’s impact on movie theaters), we should probably expect some of the biggest films of the year and beyond to try and hold off of hitting streaming for as long as they can.
At least in Project Hail Mary‘s case, you can still go and see it somewhere, even if it’s not at home. Good things come to those who wait, but for now, you can head to a movie theater to get your fix again. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Project #Hail #Mary #Wont #Coming #Streaming #TimeAmazon MGM,Project Hail Mary,Streaming](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/project-hail-mary-ryan-gosling-1280x853.jpg)
Post Comment