Lady Gaga
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Instaprint service is the Polaroid of the Instagram generation, no shaking required (video)
Sure Polaroid brought its headline product into 2011 by teaming up with Lady Gaga, but most of us are just fine with using our phones to quickly capture memorable moments. Well, Instaprint aims to recreate the photo craze of yesteryear by tying it in to Instagram -- the wildly popular (and currently iOS-only) app that lets you apply various filters to your photos for quick sharing among friends. The Instaprinter (our term, not the company's) is essentially a modified Zink photo printer with internet connectivity and tie-ins to the Instagram API, that automatically prints items tagged with any hashtag you choose. As of now, the company is planning to rent Instaprint boxes and demo the service at SXSWi, targeting it as a novel way to capture all angles of whatever event you may be hosting -- which to us seems like a fun idea. That is, until someone starts abusing the system and tags a photo of their derriere with #GrandmasBirthday. You can try it out now by tagging your shots with #Instaprint, and see it printed live in the stream embedded after the break.
Breakfast Topic: What pop figures deserve an Easter egg in WoW?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. Just this past year, I've fallen in love with a television show called Dr. Who. For all of you who do not know what the show is about, it first aired in the 1960s, and it is about an alien who can change his face and goes traveling through time and space with a human girl in a spaceship that looks like a blue box that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. If that turns you off based the level of geekiness from that last sentence, don't worry -- it gets a lot worse. But as I learned more about the history of the show, I always ended up asking myself, "Where is my Time Lord in WoW?" We are all aware of the fact that Blizzard is not afraid to put popular references in WoW, with Lady LaLa and Haris Pilton -- but why not put in a well-respected science fiction character? The thing that kills me is that there is an excellent place to put the Good Doctor into WoW that makes it seem natural: the Caverns of Time. It would seem like a great fit, a place where heroes can witness significant events and fight to correct them. What about you guys -- who think should get a nod from Blizzard? Do you stop and ask why there are not five teenaged NPCs running around fighting monsters in five different-colored outfits? Or do you think that adding more and more of these fourth wall-breaking nods ruins the game, similar to what people say that Harrison Jones did to Uldum?
Lady Gaga's Polaroid digital camera, printer, and glasses hands-on
Bad news, folks, Polaroid's GL20 camera glasses aren't wearable yet. The Haus of Gaga-designed Grey Label product is indeed coming out, but the prototype at the company's CES booth lacked the ability for the wearer to see anything out of it -- then again, it's not clear we're ever supposed to, even after its release later this year. The GL30 digital camera was also non-functional, so all we can say right now is it's a design great for making a big, conspicuous statement. On the other hand, the GL10 printer does work, but it's a printer -- eh, nothing else we can say. Curse us for succumbing to a Lady Gaga pun in the eleventh hour and check the pictures below. %Gallery-113315%
Lady Gaga and Polaroid launch Grey Label Instant Camera, Printer, and insane Camera Glasses
Polaroid has officially gone off the deep end, as a willing accomplice in Lady Gaga's crazy schemes. The new Grey Label line also includes a rebirth for Polaroid as an instant camera company, with a sexy new GL30 Instant Digital Camera with built-in printer, a separate GL10 Instant Mobile Printer, and Lady Gaga's bizarre triumph: the GL20 Camera Glasses (pictured), which include a built-in camera and dual LCDs which appear to cover your eyes when you're wearing the oversized shades. This CES marks a full year of Polaroid's collaboration with Lady Gaga, and while the glasses are possibly the least commercially viable device to be announced this year (in the best possible way), the classy new camera and printer might just make up for it. Both devices are using Zink technology for the instant printing, which Polaroid has been using in a much uglier way in its OneStep cameras, but the new devices have a retro sort of look that we're really digging. For the most part specs are light, including the GL30's megapixel count, but the GL10 printer will be out in May for $150, while the GL30 camera and the GL20 glasses don't have prices and will be available "later this year." %Gallery-113150%
Lady Gaga trapped in an Android smartphone, we wish she'd stay there (video)
NTT DoCoMo has Darth Vader selling its Android wares, so what could KDDI au possibly counter with? Why, a force even darker and more heinous than the Sith Daddy himself: Lady Gaga. Yes, the music fiend we love to hate has remixed Poker Face just to make sure we take notice of Sharp's IS03, and the kindly Japanese carrier has taken care of inserting her into the phone for maximum promotional value. Yes, au, now that we've seen Lady Gaga strutting around inside it, we totally want to own one of these handsets! See the video promos after the break. [Thanks, machine]
Lady Gaga silences her Twitter account for charity
Sometimes these things write themselves! Digital Life Sacrifice is a charity stunt dreamed up by Alicia Keys with the oh-so-laudable goal of raising much needed cash for the Keep A Child Alive charity. How does this work? Several celebs, including Justin Timberlake, Usher, and the indefatigable Ms. Gaga herself will sign out of Facebook and Twitter on World AIDS Day (December 1) and stay out until they collectively raise one million dollars. Aside from the obvious (why the hell would anybody raise money to get Gaga tweeting again?) the very name Digital Life Sacrifice just begs us to ask the question: do these people even know the meaning of the word sacrifice?
Apple tracking an issue with defective Monster headphones?
We just received a tip and some screencaps, purportedly from the Apple-verse, with a word of warning about Monster's headphone lineup. Apple is apparently blaming the "conductive flanges" used in many of Monster's earbuds for erratic stopping and starting of playback on Apple devices. The point of this internal memo seems for support staff to recognize that what a consumer might assume is a defect in an Apple product might actually be a Monster problem. Interestingly, Apple's list of problem headphones doesn't mention any of the Beats-labeled products that Apple actually sells, and is limited to Monster headphones that include "ControlTalk" tech for controlling playback with a cable-mounted mic / volume / pause remote, modeled after Apple's own iPhone-bundled earbuds. We're not sure if this means Monster is mis-applying Apple standards or just has a manufacturing defect, and it's also unclear if this problem also extends to the ControlTalk-equipped products in the joint-developed Beats lineup, but if you've been having some trouble with random stop-starts in your music on your $400 pair of Copper Turbines (and you aren't listening to James Blake), perhaps this will clear up some confusion. A full list of the affected 'buds is after the break. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Guitar Hero Pop Pack, DJ Hero Party Mix DLC available today
Lady Gaga! Wait -- it's a trap dude! Can't you see? Today's Guitar Hero "Pop 1 Track Pack" is actually the Beast in disguise, casting a Top 40 enchantment. Never forget: the Demigod of Rock still awaits, imprisoned in stone, his most awesome axe lost in the void. We must unite, man -- transform! Become Warriors of Rock. And we must appeal to our DJ Hero kinsmen -- we need their street cred in tact. They, too, are scratching and clawing to keep it real, as the urge to go Gaga grows ever stronger today. Are you with us? Resist the bestial cry to "Just Dance." No, don't do it -- don't you dare click past the break for this week's Guitar Hero and DJ Hero DLC details.
WoW Moviewatch: Druid Heals
Mandy Madrox has sent into the wild her first WoW machinima, called Druid Heals. The video and song is an obvious parody on Lady Gaga's Pokerface, which is a piece of music that's come up in machinima before now. The video looks pretty nice for this parody; I was impressed with the depth of scene and variety, especially considering this music video is a first outing. The vocal performance was much harder to gauge. The creators have already posted that they feel they overdid the autotune, and I kind of have to agree. I think I liked her voice work, but there's no real way to be sure right now. I am, however, very hopeful for the next edition, because I generally enjoyed this work. It can be a hell of a scary experience to release machinima or WoW based music. I'm glad to see new people giving it a whirl, learning from their experiences, and constantly stepping up their game. I definitely hope these folks come back around again. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
iPhone-playing girl gets record deal
Remember applegirl002, the Korean girl who sang a song accompanied by her iPhone apps a while back? Turns out she's gone pro -- after 4.2 million views of her clip across the web, a South Korean record label has reportedly inked a deal to record her own songs and make some more professional videos. She's classically trained, and studied music at a small college near her home, but it's her iPhone playing and singing that have catapulted her to virtual stardom. She's big in England, apparently -- over there, she's won a poll against Lady Gaga to see who Apple could pick up as the star of their next campaign. That might not happen (lately, Apple products have been starring in their own commercials), but the fact that she's got a chance to make music professionally after being seen so much on YouTube is pretty cool. Here's hoping she sticks with her roots and brings all of the iPhones into the recording studio. I'd love to hear a record made completely with apps from the App Store.
Earloomz get Lady Gaga designs to help you look cooler, she's still k-kinda too busy to take your call
You know, we're starting to wonder if Lady Gaga is secretly a gigantic nerd. She's not only the Creative Director over at Polaroid, as well as having her own Beats by Dre headphones, but now... her likeness is on a Bluetooth headset. Now, we don't know if this is officially licensed Gaga gear or not, and there are plenty of other wild designs to choose from (though this is obviously the eyecatcher of the collection). This bad boy supports Bluetooth v2.1+EDR, and uses an internal rechargeable lithium polymer battery with around eight hours of talk time. They're available now for around $60. So our only question is: how long until Gaga gets a giant Bluetooth earpiece made out of her hair?
PAX East 2010 Gallery
Penny Arcade creators Gabe and Tycho brought the ever-growing Penny Arcade Expo to the Bay State this weekend, with nerdfolk from all over pouring into Boston, MA for PAX East. As the sole WoW.com rep at the show (with Spiritual Guidance's Fox Van Allen in attendance as "just a dude" instead of "dude with a press badge"), I stomped the floor with the Joystiq and Massively crew, who squeezed every last drop of relevant info from the expo at record speed. "Hello my boss Chris Grant of Joystiq fame," I would tap out on my smartphone, "here's a pretty hot gaming scoop just revealed moments ago!" He would reply three seconds later with "Already posted," with an image attached of his frowning face. As for my site's particular field of interest -- was there a lot of Blizzard-related news? Not really! Thankfully, on top of news about other MMOs, there was some other stuff going on, which you can see in this gallery. There was WoW-related stuff worth writing about though, which'll be posted in the next day or so. A special thanks to all the readers who stopped by to say hello to me! We love you guys, and we'll see you at BlizzCon in full effect.%Gallery-89201%
Found Footage: Singing with a quartet of iPhones
Happy weekend! Here's a girl from Korea, named applegirl002 over on YouTube, playing Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" with a quartet of iPhones as accompaniment. Sure, the song's not that great, but look at those iPhones go! She's using I am T-Pain for autotuning the singing, Beatmaker for laying out the beats, and ... she says "Analog" in the video. However, I think it's miniSynth that she's actually got running on the last iPhone. You might not be gaga over Gaga (I'm definitely not), but running a whole choir of iPhones like that is quite impressive. It's also worth noting that she accomplished this feat without pulling in some of the more popular music apps like Bebot and Ocarina. It turns out that the iPhone is an excellent way to turn out some pretty complicated music.
Seen@GDC: Some weird things happened at Harmonix's Rock Band event
You've already seen the (arguably) most newsworthy video we filmed during Wednesday's Rock Band Bar Night event hosted by Harmonix at GDC. However, our Flip Cam captured a few other magic moments which we'd be remiss if we kept to ourselves. They're not the most news-y videos we've ever posted on our own site, though one of them does feature a preview of the upcoming Lady Gaga DLC. That's gotta be worth something, right? Watch the whole sideshow after the jump.
Rock Band Weekly Redux: Lady Gaga, Cartman, 3 Doors Down, Mute Math, The Subways
Lady Gaga was already announced for Rock Band's DLC update next week -- but she's bringing friends along. The pop sensation will be joined by some, ahem, actual rock bands. Check out next week's full list of releases after the break.
WoW Moviewatch: Bad Romance by MichelleLynn
Bad Romance by MichelleLynn isn't the first video on WoW Moviewatch to feature the song of the same named by Lady Gaga. I don't know what it is about the lyrics and music that seems to inspire people, but she certainly seems to come up a lot. The first video was also titled Bad Romance, and was the creation of Quixotica. MichelleLynn is relatively new to machinima, which makes this first piece of work fairly impressive. The character models she used all feel appropriate to Gaga's song, and I liked the way she set up and transitioned from shot to shot. I will confess that I couldn't make heads or tails of the video's story, however. It seemed like there was some kind of narrative that MichelleLynn wanted to convey, but I just couldn't piece it together. Maybe it was something about a love triangle? Like I said, though, this version of Bad Romance was pretty nice for someone so new to machinima. I hope that she gets enough encouragement to continue, since I think she could really go somewhere in the medium. I would just try to make the story a bit more transparent. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
DIY Lady Gaga 'Pop Music' shades: so magical, you'd be so fantastical
Next time you're out at a Lady Gaga tribute concert, leave the crowd speechless with your very own "Pop Music Will Never Be Low Brow" glasses. All it takes to give off that "Creative Director of Polaroid" vibe is just the touch of your hand, two keychain digital picture frames, and some garage glamorous sunglasses you don't mind seeing destroyed. Love the shades, baby? You won't be able to see straight anymore -- the frames aren't transparent, so keep that in mind when choreographing. DIY instructions via the source link, video example after the break. Spandex one-piece recommended, but we'd advise against Heartbeats earphones.
Parts of Darkness: The other side of CES
Every January, the consumer electronics industry (and those of us who write about it for a living) descend on Las Vegas for the undisputed Champion of American trade shows. CES has come to mean many things to many people, and let's be honest here -- most of us are a little conflicted. After all, this event is our raison d'etre, and while there is plenty of geeky fun to be had, Las Vegas and the milieu of consumer electronics in general can be creepy and unsettling -- at least as creepy and unsettling as a city that feels the need to simulate the New York City skyline within spitting distance of the Sphinx. What's this have to do with gadgets and gadgetry, you ask? Well, you may think you know all there is to know about CES -- you've pored over the keynotes and the hands-ons, and you've guffawed at the KIRFs and Crapgadgets. But there is more to this tale, dear readers. So sit back, relax, and click past the break for our thoughts and impressions on the other side of CES. %Gallery-82802%
Lady Gaga named Polaroid creative director, puts that liberal arts education to good use
As you know, Polaroid recently went Chapter 11 (again), relegating the once great brand to little more than intellectual property to be exploited by the likes of Hilco Consumer Capital and Gordon Brothers -- a couple outfits that know the power of branding. You know who else understands the power of branding? That's right: Lady Gaga, the newest creative director of Polaroid Imaging Products (insert your own Paparazzi joke here). Apparently the chanteuse will be working "behind the scenes" to develop "prototypes in the vein of fashion / technology / photography innovation." We just hope the Haus of Gaga has learned a thing or two after that Monster debacle a few months back. PR after the break.
The Queue: Why won't you move, Mr. Bubbles?
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. Before I get to your questions today, I have a question for all of you. What kind of dirty monster do you need to be to harvest the Little Sisters in Bioshock? My word, they're adorable. I mean, I have no problem playing jerky characters in games, but I physically could not hit the K key while looking at one of those poor little things. You people running around murdering them willy nilly should be ashamed of yourselves. You know who you are. I'm watching you. And now we actually discuss the game this blog is named for. Fancy that. Radioted asked... "Is there any word on who does the voice for Krick? Every time I run PoS, I can't help but hear Wallace Shawn in the role."
