Golden
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You can order a gold LG G2 in Taiwan, but just... don't.
It's de rigeur now for flagship phones to get a gold version, a debatable trend that's at least working out for snarky tech editors. After all, there's something awkward about gilting a geeky handset like LG's G2, especially in a shade reminiscent of gaudy late '80s home decor. It's now available in Taiwan (and possibly elsewhere later) for $530 -- if you're in the target market, those back buttons are less likely to tangle with manicured nails.
The Queue: Bubble bubble pop pop
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mathew McCurley will be your host today. Oh boy, The Queue! Have I told you guys how much I love writing The Queue? When I'm not YouTubing or twittering, some of my most wonderful memories are sitting at my computer and browsing through your questions and ... Ooooh, looks like someone just put a link into Mumble ... ... ... ... Bubble bubble bubble pop. Happy Monday, ya'll. jamie9966 asked: At the start of the Burning Crusade, blood elf paladins got their powers by bending the light to their will, through M'uru who they held captive at the time. Since they no longer have M'uru in captivity, where do they now get their power from? In the beginning, M'uru was the source of the Blood Knights' powers. It was thought to have been stolen, being ripped from the naaru forcibly. I was always a fan of the ruthless, almost sadistic way the blood elves bent the very light to their will because, well, at the time, it fit the race. After it was revealed that the naaru sort of sent M'uru, who full well knew what he was doing by letting the blood elves take some of his power to create the Blood Knights, that sadism sort of fell to the wayside.
Nokia Oro passes FCC, cleared for a gaudy stateside landing
The odds that you'll have a North American spotting of Nokia's audacious 18-karat gold Oro just became more likely. That's because the handset recently appeared before the FCC and was certified for frequencies utilized by AT&T, Bell, Telus, Rogers, T-Mobile, Wind and Mobilicity. That's not to suggest any of the carriers are taking a bet with this one, but it leaves a good opportunity for someone to flaunt their excess while using their network of choice. The stark photography certainly doesn't embellish the bling that we'd seen in earlier press shots, but don't kid yourself -- anything lavished with gold is likely to scream "Mug me" on busy street corners. Lest we reiterate, the phone is nothing more than a gilded C7 and it's selling for under a Benjamin on contract as the Nokia Astound. If you're genuinely wanting to attract attention in the US, running Symbian is thoroughly sufficient.
Nokia Oro is covered with 18ct gold on the outside, tinged with Symbian regret inside
Nokia has just unveiled a strange new beast of a smartphone. Internally, it's your good old C7 -- 3.5-inch AMOLED screen, 720p video recording, 8 megapixel camera, a pentaband radio, and Symbian as your zombie OS -- but externally it's taken on a lick of gold paint and a rear cover made of real leather. The price for a phone built quite so luxuriously is said to be upwards of €800 ($1,126) before taxes and subsidies and launch is expected in Q3 in select countries across Europe and Asia. Russia in particular is called out as a successful market for such "premium" phones, with Nokia's Gabriel Speratti, General Manager for its operations in the country, explaining that: "We have a large number of users who are looking for products with a build quality and superior materials that attest to their success and social standing. In some areas, possession of such premium products is the passport to being taken seriously." We have to agree, owning a phone like this will certainly have an effect on your social life, we're just not so sure it'll be a positive one.
The Shattering hits The New York Times best-seller list
Blizzard has let us know that after only a short time available on bookshelves, The Shattering by Christie Golden has hit The New York Times best-seller list. This makes The Shattering Golden's and Blizzard's second NYT best-seller after Arthas: Rise of the Lich King. Congratulations to Christie and Blizzard, as the book is awesome and totally deserves the recognition that it is getting. The Shattering – New York Times Best Seller Despite having just been released earlier this week, The Shattering by Christie Golden has rocketed into the New York Times best seller list. This prelude to Cataclysm follows major faction characters as they adjust to life after the war with the Lich King, before being abruptly attacked by the land and elements themselves. What is leading to these devastating earthquakes and ship-sinking squalls? Magni believes he has found the secret through his brother's research, while Thrall believes an already shattered world holds the secrets. If you're looking forward to the Cataclysm expansion, this is a must-read to catch you up and prepare you for the epic story about to be unveiled. The book is available in the Blizzard Store (http://us.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100001208) and all fine book retailers. source
Pioneer blings out HDJ-1000 headphones, turns them into a $209 Limited Edition
The thing with headphones, and sound equipment in general, is that if you get the design right the first time, you don't leave yourself much room for significant upgrades down the line. Pioneer seems to have fallen into that trap with its HDJ-1000 set of cans, which are today getting rehashed in a pair of new shades: the extrovert gold number above and an understated all-black look. Pioneer hasn't left the innards completely unretouched, however, as it has nipped and tucked a few bits to allow better low-range reproduction and a more comfortable fit overall. Neither sounds likely to justify the price bump to $209, but those golden highlights sure look appealing from where we're sitting.
Gresso gussies up iPhone 4 with rare wooden veneer
From the front it looks like any other iPhone 4, but flip it around and a glint might catch your eye -- that's the doing of Russian technology tailor Gresso, who's embedded Swarovski crystals and an 18-karat golden Apple logo in a sheet of African Blackwood attached to the device. As usual, one wonders why anyone would bother, but honestly we can't complain -- the design is worlds more tasteful than the solid gold and diamond-encrusted contraptions we're used to seeing. Expect the dainty dillantante to arrive in December at a surprisingly reasonable $3,500, or $3,000 for the male-targeted version at right. Of course, if you've got that kind of money to spend, you want one now, right? Good news: the iPhone 3GS gets the same luxurious treatment -- and price -- in July. [Thanks, Bob]
The Engadget Show: Inside the gadget markets of China, part one - Hong Kong
China may have its ups and downs, but there's no denying that it's a geeky wonderland for Engadget advocates. Oh, and we're not just talking about KIRFs either -- this country of 1.3 billion people has a lot more tech love to offer. In this first episode of a two-part series, we'll be showing you around the two hottest gadget districts of Hong Kong -- Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po. By the end of this you'll probably be sick of cramped street markets and computer shopping malls, but hey, just be thankful that you weren't the one who went through all that trouble and jet lag. Host: Richard Lai Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm, Richard Lai Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Filmed by: Omar Rabbolini, Wai-Tai Li, Richard Lai Edited by: Richard Lai Music by: Pieces of Eight, Sabrepulse, Maxo 01 Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Download the Show: The Engadget Show - Segment 007 (HD) / The Engadget Show - Segment 007 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. See our other Engadget Show short features: The Engadget Show: Inside the mind of Yves Behar The Engadget Show: Inside chiptunes and 8-bit visuals The Engadget Show: Kindle etching and DIY adventures with Adafruit Industries The Engadget Show: Inside the mind of designer Philippe Starck The Engadget Show: Philippe Starck Q&A bonus round The Engadget Show: Inside Ben Heck's magic kingdom The Engadget Show: Hands-on with Times Square
Leica MP Golden Camera celebrates 60th anniversary of Chinese republic
You know how Leica marks itself out with its typically subdued matte black finishes and old school designs? Well, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, the camera company has decided to go a bit crazy and punish reward us with this 24 carat gold-plated shooter. Limited to a run of 60, each hallmarked with a year between 1949 and 2009, the Golden Camera is encased in red calfskin, bears an inscription of Mao Zedong's favorite slogan, and sports a Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 lens. To max out the gaudiness, you also get a wooden box to store your equipment in. Sold exclusively in mainland China, these will cost 199,900 Chinese Yuan ($29,300) each, though Leica is also bringing out limited edition M8.2 and D-Lux 4 models -- sans any precious metals -- for the more budget-conscious patriots out there. Check 'em out after the break, or hit the source link for even more.
iPhone 3GS Supreme is diamond encrusted, spectacularly expensive
Seeing as how the iPhone's exclusivity status has been slipping, it was inevitable that the bourgeoisie would invent a new way to distinguish themselves from the lowly masses. Enter a designer by the name of Stuart Hughes, already expertly familiar with slapping precious metals onto slightly less precious mobile phones. He classes up a 3GS handset with a 22 carat solid gold body, which he then sprinkles with no less than 190 diamonds. And just to make sure none of the riff raff can get their hands on it, this creation is priced at £1.92 million ($3.2 million), which places it precisely £1.92 million outside our budget. Completing the, erm, value proposition is a storage chest cut from a single block of granite, which you may peep after the break.
Massively's Runes of Magic Golden Warrior armor giveaway
Massively's inbox is absolutely on fire with all the emails from people seeking the Runes of Magic Golden Warrior armor codes that Frogster was kind enough to give us. We're one of several gaming sites that Frogster reached out to for these exclusive armor giveaways, with each site giving away a piece of the complete Golden Warrior's set. But just because we've been tied up (literally) at Dragon*Con and PAX doesn't mean we've forgotten about you -- it's now time for Massively's Runes of Magic item code giveaway!What are we giving away to our readers? The latest exclusive armor type is the Golden Warrior's set for characters level 25 and higher. Massively has the Golden Warrior's Shirt and there are only 1000 of these in the game. Are you ready to claim yours? Follow this link to Massively's code giveaway page, and follow the directions you'll find there.That's it! Keep reading below for more information and details on the giveaway.
Exclusive: Christie Golden writing the Cataclysm novel
The NDA on this was just dropped on this info, and we wanted to get it out to you ASAP. Christie Golden, author of the hit novel Arthas, will be writing the Cataclysm novel. There is no additional information on this, other that its existance. One thing can be sure about though, it will no doubt contain a ton of great lore and be very well written.We'll have our interview with Christie up for you later this evening or early tomorrow.
Gold Bullion Wireless Mouse only looks like a million bucks
Look, we fully understand the dilemma. You picked up a Pure*Gold PC late last year, and you've been tirelessly searching for a suitable mouse to use with it ever since. At long, long last, said device is finally upon us. Too comical for Crapgadget and too outlandish to be taken seriously, the Gold Bullion Wireless Mouse operates on practically any USB-enabled machine and is coated with precisely zero atoms of gold film. In other words, around 98 percent of the $34.68 asking price is for the looks alone, but you know it's worth it.[Via technabob]
Crapgadget: revolving USB hub, revolting MP4 watch, lavish amounts of lameness
Consider yourselves fortunate. You've had well over two whole months without an episode of Crapgadget, but today, that grace period ends. The most recent laughable load includes an absolutely vile wristwatch that supposedly plays MP3s / MP4s if you can manage to glance away from the bezel and band. Furthermore, we've got a TV tuner and webcam -- in one -- alongside a way-too-expensive WiFi sniffing pen that doesn't do 802.11n. Bringing up the rear is Connectland's 180° X2 Revolving USB Hub, which clearly raises the bar in USB hub design stupidity. Per usual, we're begging for your vote on the crappiest below, but we'll understand if you just can't bear the thought of spending another moment thinking about these pitiful creations. %Poll-15846% Read - Golden MP3 / MP4 watchRead - Plustek TVcam VD100Read - Revolving USB hubRead - WiFi sniffing pen
David Beckham gifted with gilded iPod touch for 100th England cap
Despite Becks' prior troubles with über-geeky car thieves, we're fairly certain the LA Galaxy midfielder still has a soft spot in his heart for technology. And even if he doesn't, we're confident there's a nook in there for precious metals. Reportedly, Mr. Beckham has been gifted with a gilded iPod touch (the top-end 32GB model, no less) by his English teammates after participating in his 100th appearance for the national club. Word on the street has it that the golden touch only set the squad back £600 ($1,188), which isn't too shabby considering the £329 ($651) sticker on the vanilla version.
Pharrell tires of gilded BlackBerry, targets iPhone next
Remember Pharrell Williams' solid gold BlackBerry 8700? Well, it turns out there's this little problem with coating your electronics in gold: they become obsolete long before the gold does. No worries, though; when you're Pharrell, exchanging that ancient piece of RIM kit for something a little more en vogue is as simple as pulling out the pocketbook. As you might imagine, Pharrell's newly yellowed iPhone is no fewer than 18 karats in purity, but unlike other phones in his collection that suffer from some amount of signal degradation, this one maintains the black plastic piece on the rear for reception's sake (now why you'd actually want to make calls on this as opposed to, say, just looking at it, we have no idea -- you'd have to ask Pharrell). No word on just how much coin was exchanged for this little surgical procedure, but we're pretty sure we don't want to know.
Bling-tastic Game Boy makes us weak in the knees (and wrists)
Holy excess, Batman! Featuring a level of bling that would make Snoop Dogg wince, this one-off, solid 18 karat gold Game Boy comes with a diamond-encrusted screen border, diamond set on/off buttons, and weighs more than twice as much (27 ounces) as the original version (11.2 ounces). It was commissioned by Aspreys of London, and is now on sale over at Swiss Supply Direct Inc., which describes the portable as "an unbelievable conversation piece." Well, quite.Although you may balk at its $29,500 price tag, you do get gold-tinged copies of Super Mario Land, Golf and Monopoly for your outlay, mainly because there's nothing worse than having no games to play on your new solid gold console come Christmas morning.[Via Hawty McBloggy]
This week on the Japanese Virtual Console: Golden Kung Fu Adventures
Hey, a Japanese Virtual Console update we don't have to be jealous of! Usually, Japan gets all kinds of great stuff, and we get, at best, Japan's great stuff from a month ago. This week: nothing to fret about, really. Front Line (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Adventures of Lolo (Famicom, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Golden Axe II (Mega Drive, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points) The Kung Fu (PC Engine, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) We like Golden Axe II, but we feel confident it'll be here soon. We already know we're getting The Kung Fu this month (as China Warrior). We've never played Front Line, but it looks very ... proto-NES. That leaves Lolo, which, as a HAL Laboratory title and an okay game, is no doubt the subject of a lot of frothing demand. It'll come out here eventually!
The bling you just can't live without [update 2]
You know, as we walk in the 'hood with our decked out diamond chains, pinky rings, and various gaudy objects of choice, we can't help but feel that something is missing. We thought it was something like love, or a sense of self-respect, but that's just silly. Future Shop Accessories has shown us the truth: what we're missing from our lives isn't some intangible emotion or joy, but a bitchin' 18K gold DS Lite stylus.That's right. It's shiny. It's bling-tastic. And it's yours for only (Canadian) $19.99! Not to do their advertising for them, but this might just be the most important video gaming purchase of your lives. Don't miss out. Make like Midas and get clickin'.[Update 1: They appear to have run out of stock for the time being, but more should be available soon. Also, noted that the $19.99 was in CDN.][Update 2: They're back in stock!][Thanks, Hannah!]
Golden Axe screens from E3
Some screens have been leaked to the internet from the behind-closed-doors unveiling at E3 of the upcoming Golden Axe for the PS3 and Xbox 360, along with a section of the trailer available in video form. While the screens aren't all that great in terms of quality, they confirm a return of the bizarrians (mounts) from the previous games. The game is currently slated for a 2007 release date.
