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Vortx blows air at your face while you're gaming, and it's great

Whirlwind FX made a silly gadget that actually feels pretty neat.

Vortx is ridiculous. It's a cube that you place on your desk, next to your PC or laptop, and it blows hot or cold air in your face, depending on what's happening on-screen. The air responds dynamically to the action: If you're running through the fiery hellscape of Doom, the fan blows hot and fast, but if you're watching a YouTube video about climbing Mount Everest, it shoots out gusts of frigid air. So, yes, it's ridiculous -- but it's also really cool in action.

Developers don't need to add any special software to their games or videos for Vortx to work. Its Environment Experience algorithms read the on-screen action all on their own, meaning Vortx syncs automatically with major games like Destiny or Overwatch, or any YouTube video. Founder Timothy Sun says there's a lot going on in an experience like Overwatch, so Vortx can't respond to every single detail, but it still definitely works with that game.

Vortx is available for pre-order now for $120, and it's due out this year.

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