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What we're listening to: Nine Inch Nails, 'Men in Blazers' and Kitty
Welcome back to IRL, our series dedicated to the things that Engadget writers play, use, watch and listen to. This week, we're focusing on music and podcasts, from Tumblr-Wave to Trent Reznor. First up, Managing Editor Terrence O'Brien uncovers some hidden SoundCloud gems.
Cat Shake gives you an endless stream of OMG KITTIES
Few things in life are better than videos and GIFs about cats -- they bring joy to people. If you feel that way, then you'll probably want to download this new iOS app called Cat Shake. As its name suggests, the application requires you to, well, shake your device to fulfill its purpose. Once you do so, your reward will be too-cute-to-handle cat videos, "classic" cat GIFs and, because why not, adorable cat sounds. For those of you who don't have an iPhone or iPad, don't worry -- you can always go to Tumblr TV, type in what cat you're in the mood for (we'd recommend "funny cat") and problem solved. Or, you know, there's YouTube too.
Kitty likes that old-school PowerBook style
I'd begrudgingly have to pick the one on the left -- for productivity reasons, of course -- but that oh-so-retro PowerBook could definitely have a place in my home as well. As could that adorable feline. [Photo Credit: Raneko]
Tabby is not impressed with the Mac mini
Ok, so it's not the most powerful Mac of all time -- and this 2009 model is definitely a bit out of date -- but there's no reason to look at it with such disdain. [Photo Credit: Michael Gorzka]
Caturday: Cool breeze
Actually this kitten may be getting a blast of warm air, depending, but the cat looks content to bask in the glow of an iMac's screen during naptime. Something fun for a Saturday as we cruise towards Halloween. Got a Caturday pic? Send it to us via our feedback page. Don't like Caturday posts? Here's a tip. Thanks to Thad for the photo.
Far Cry 3 welcomes you to Rook Island (please feed the kitties)
This trailer is supposed to introduce us to the Rook Islands, the setting for Far Cry 3's exotic mania, but we're more intrigued/terrified by the feline population.
Hello Kitty pays a visit to CES 2012: If you want it, we got it in pink
An electronics show wouldn't be an electronics show without celebrity endorsements. But there was one icon who had more product tie-ins than anyone else. Yep, Kitty-chan was in attendance and she had plenty of pink paraphernalia to hawk to unsuspecting fans of all things kawaii. We've collated together all the gear spotted at CES and, fortunately, there was more than just a few phone cases and laptop bags. Merchandise spotted includes Kitty-themed karaoke machines, alarm clocks with mounted laser cannons projectors, cordless phones and more. A brief video tour of some of our favorite surprises is coming soon, but until then, enjoy all that the super-deformed cat had to offer in our gallery below.Sean Cooper and Sean Buckley contributed to this post.
Daily iPad App: Kitty
Kitty is a US$4.99 virtual cat. Developed by Alex Komarov (that same guy who created that marvelous accordion application demonstrated at the iPad roll-out), Kitty provides an interactive virtual pet-ownership experience. I am clearly not the target audience for this app. I have a daughter though, who loves cats and loves apps. I decided to test it out with her. After spending a while exploring the app, my gradeschooler was quickly looking for some other game to engage in. "It's a little annoying," she explained to me. "I don't like her purring. She just won't stop the [raspy gagging sound]." When I asked her to elaborate, she said, "At first, she really just seemed to hate me. She kept making [angry rawr sounds]. And then, it's kind of hard to wake her up." In other words, the cat was acting like a cat. This application is huge. It takes up 108 MB on your iPad, and works far better on the faster iPad 2 than the original version, as we discovered. It also worked better for me as a tech demo than an actual application. The graphics are phenomenal -- your touches seem to interact with the fur, you can see Kitty breath in and out. Unfortunately, the cat is a bit too realistic. Wake her from her nap and she gets pretty cranky. Unlike a puppy, she has absolutely no interest in socializing, being petted, or otherwise playing. I suspect the target audience for this app is going to be quite small children, who don't mind that Kitty presents an interaction challenge. As for this adult, my patience wore thin really quickly. Love the accordion. Gonna pass on the cat.
Thanko's USB kitty mask might get you noticed
You know why he's so happy? Because he's Japanese, and being Japanese is awesome. Trains run on time, robots do the work, and you get to wear kitty-faced masks with a USB- or battery-powered fan to circulate the atmosphere in front of your air holes... and nobody cares. ¥1,980 (about $24), or ¥2,190 gift wrapped for someone special.
One Shots: Billions and billions of stars
When there are things roaming the land that want nothing more than to devour you, it's not too often that one stops to enjoy a starry night in the post-apocalyptic lands of Fallen Earth. As for us, we love it when game designers put this kind of attention to detail in their games. There again, there aren't that many MMOs set on the same planet we inhabit, to be entirely fair. Wonder what we're babbling on about? Check out this note we got from Kitty to go with today's Fallen Earth One Shots: It's astronomically correct! The pointer stars of the Big Dipper point to the North star.If you've noticed some interesting attention to detail in your favorite game, we'd love to see it! All you have to do is snap a screenshot and email it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here and give you the credit. Easy, no?%Gallery-9798%
Sega Toys' Dream Cat Venus is sure to be your favorite fake pet ever
Sega Toys has unveiled yet another iteration of the fake cat we've come to know and love, and this time, it's even more "real" than before. Dream Cat Venus -- as this one's been dubbed -- has sensors in its forehead, and touch sensors in its body so that it can react when petted. Apparently more lifelike than previous version Smile, Venus also purrs when certain words are spoken. Sega Toys says this is the right choice for those who just don't have the time for a real pet. We're also pretty sure it's non-allergenic (unlike real felines), cheaper to own (doesn't eat or need to see the vet), and totally won't mind if you head out on vacation for three weeks at a pop without telling him. We'll still feel the guilt though. This kitty's going to be available starting July 30th in Japan for about $110. Warning: Read link is a PDF[Via Slashgear]
Chococat case cuddles up against our heart
We don't have to tell you how cute this case is. It's etched right on the front of the kitty with the big eyes. And, with a see-through pouch on the back (complete with velcro strap for securing precious games), this thing also has "complete package" written all over it. For further evidence of flickr user Michy Michelle's extreme skill at DS crafts, peep the Hello Kitty DS Lite. We just wish we had a bigger picture to drool over. Hello Kitty isn't really our thing, but if someone did the same thing to a DS except replaced the Hello Kitty with, say, He-Man, then we'd totally be down with it.Head on past the break for a look at the Chococat case from a different angle.
HKO to take Paladins away from WoW
In an exclusive interview with HKO lead developer Hey'wod ya' Saiev'mie, it was revealed that because of the extreme ease and uselessness Paladins provide in World of Warcraft, they have been removed from WoW and transfered to HK Online. Those players that have Paladin will no doubt be happy since they'll finally be able to play a useful role in an online game. All accounts with Paladin mains will receive a free copy of HKO, and 3 days of play time.In response to the outcry of support in the Paladin forums, Blizard CM Csyrd said "We are glad Paladins are finally happy. Our goal has always been to make them stop crying." Newly appointed HKO CM Ahol Isk'y said "Hopefully the Paladin community will appreciate their new opportunity to tank mice and the occasional dog. Of course this is nothing like Illidan, but it's a start, right?"
Sega Toys' Yume Neko Smile cat continues to be your waking nightmare
Finally your replicant Owl and Nexus-6 will have a new playmate over at the Bradbury -- namely, Sega Toys' newest iteration of its infamously creepy automaton, the Yume Neko Smile cat. When we last saw this little purr-machine, it was giving blank stares of disapproval while harmfully invading our dreams like a kind of down-coated demon. The new version appears to up the gross-factor to 11 by including even more lifelike movements, all new speech (with moving mouth), and a healthy dose of allergy-irritating dander. Okay, we made that last one up, but with such attention to detail -- including the common cat trait of perfect human speech -- it wouldn't surprise us to see this one causing all kinds of health issues. Watch the charming video after the break, you'll see what we mean.
Cinemassively: A Big, Bad, Green Christmas
After a lifetime of Christmas coal, Sazabi, the orc, and his pet, Kitty, are fed up. However, instead of trapping Santa, as they originally planned, they end up getting stuck with all of the deliveries. It seems as if Santa has decided to take the night off. With Kitty as his trusty steed, Sazabi sets off into the night, but encounters some unexpected problems. If he can survive, he'll be greatly rewarded, but will he pull it off?Kudos go to FireShifT, who took 1st place in the Warcraftmovies Christmas Spirit Contest! A Big, Bad, Green Christmas had a higher percentage than most of the entries combined. Not bad for what he describes as his first serious attempt at World of Warcraft Machinima.[Via Warcraftmovies.com]
WoW Moviewatch: A Big, Bad, Green Christmas
When a disgruntled orc, Sazabi, decides that he's had enough with getting coal for Christmas, he and Kitty devise a plan to trap Santa. However, Santa's had a rough night and just can't be arsed to deliver anything. Poor Sazabi is suckered into making the deliveries himself! Will he make it on time? Will he get another lump of coal in the end?FireShifT has made the feel good Christmas movie of the year in A Big, Bad, Green Christmas. It went all the way to number one in the Warcraftmovies Christmas Spirit Machinima Contest. We'll be highlighting the rest of the winners over the next few days. Stay tuned![Via Warcraftmovies.com]Previously on Moviewatch...
Your Hello Kitty research is about to get a lot easier
Ever been asked a question regarding biographical information about a Sanrio character, but you can't answer because you're too far away from your extensive Hello Kitty database? You're in luck, if you get into that very unlikely situation in the future, and you can read Japanese!Hello Kitty's Fashonable Party contains biographies of 300 Sanrio characters, with info about their birthdays, favorite food, and ... probably other stuff too. The game will quiz you about this stuff, presumably so you can memorize it. Fashionable Party also contains a dress-up mode and, predictably, a spate of minigames as well. In this case, though, the minigames are probably welcome since they bring the only actual gaming to the Party.
Food on the flying mount wing
I don't really have much to say about this one-- just press play and watch the absolutely cutest WoW video ever. That flying mount must look pretty tasty. (Almost) completely unrelated: every time the guildies and I run Sethekk Halls and run into those Cloud Serpents, their "Wing Buffet" ability makes me think of all-you-can-eat wings. But then again, I could be thinking of something completely different.[ Thanks, ongra! ]
Find the differences between Quickspot and this new San-X game
Hint: there aren't many. San-X no Chara Sagashi Land (San-X Character Searching Land) offers the exact same kind of gameplay as Quickspot, with San-X trappings. San-X, for those of you who don't follow the Adorable Junk scene, is a sub-label of Hello Kitty creators Sanrio whose characters are ... different enough in some inscrutable way to be separate from the main brand. So, instead of getting to look at two nearly-identical Katamari Damacy images (sigh) and drawing circles around the differences, you'll be scrutinizing Tarepanda the sleepy panda, Kogepan, the anthropomorphic bread who has depression, and others. And for your troubles you get a gallery of mascot images. Of the same characters you were just staring at.We don't mean to sound down on the game-- we're actually really surprised at what new genres the DS design is encouraging. There may have been 'look at two things at once and spot the differences' games before, but the DS is absolutely perfect for them.We've included a few precious screens after the break.
Hello Kitty says hello to your DS Lite
With a variety of skins available for your DS Lite, and an unquenchable thirst for all things Hello Kitty, the pictured skins are probably something you'll want to import as they're only available, via Sanrio Japan, in, well ... Japan. Costing 680 yen (which is about 6 bucks US), they're an easy way to spruce up your DS Lite even more than its already appealing design offers.
