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Aphrodite joins the SMITE fight crew
If any character ever had a good reason to wear the skimpiest armor ever, Aphrodite would have full license to strut. Hi-Rez revealed the revealing goddess of beauty in its newest SMITE update. Aphrodite utilizes her feminine wiles to win over the competition as a support character tied to a "soul mate." Her hugs give mana to a soul mate and her kisses do double duty as buffs and stuns. No, really. That said, if things get too hot and heavy, she can use her Back Off! skill to knock enemies back. She can also call down doves for both healing and damage because apparently doves are the combat medics of the avian world. Check out Aphrodite's trailer after the jump before catching up on SMITE's latest patch notes! [Thanks to Don for the tip!]
Case-Mate's Hug allows induction charging on the iPhone
There are a few features that I'd love to see added to the iPhone's hardware (an IR transmitter would be nice, for one thing), but first and foremost among those is probably an induction charger. It's a little lame to have a device that so easily goes wireless, and then have to come back and plug it in again after usage. Of course, Apple will take their sweet time adapting new technologies, so until then, I might have to make do with Case-Mate's Hug solution. It's a $100 case that slides on the back of your iPhone and allows the unit to charge without ever plugging in a cable -- just stick it on and wait. Which sounds good, but then you notice that the case actually blocks the iPhone's dock completely, so you have to take the case off anyway to do your regular syncing. And of course it also adds size and heft to the phone, which is probably more than you want to pay to just have a phone you can stick on a charger. Looks like Apple's reasoning in leaving the technology out of the hardware is pretty solid. Nevertheless, if you can't wait to "give your iPhone a Hug" (clever but cloying), the case is available now.
Case-Mate's Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100
Remember that wireless induction charger that we saw poking around at the CES iLounge Pavilion earlier this year? Seems that Case-Mate has finally given that little doohickey a name, a price and a ship date. The aptly-titled Hug (which consists of the Hug Case and Hug Pad) slips onto one's iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS and allows Apple's darling to get recharged by simply laying on the aforementioned platter. Of course, the case itself is distractingly bulky, and this whole thing relies on the same eCoupled technology that we've been seeing for years now -- though, the fact that this pad will charge any other case that utilizes the same standard is worth noting. Is the ability to never need your dock connecting cable for rejuvenation purposes really worth the $99.99 asking price? We're guessing not, but those that disagree can get their own shipped out this very moment.
Probo the huggable Belgian bot goes hands-on with kids
Oh Probo, you've come so far. Just a few years back you were an cute little green fuzzy thing trying to make a name for yourself by partying the night away with geek celebrities. Now you're out in the wild, looking tired, sporting a wrinkled flannel covering, proboscis hanging dangerously low, and a pair of eyes that truly tell the tale of all you've been through. Those eyes and that schnoz are fully movable and programmable, and that touchscreen on the belly can be made to show children's tales of all sorts, but sadly Probo still can't give the one thing he was made for: hugs. Maybe in his quest for fame he lost a little bit of his purpose along the way -- maybe it's for the best.
Heart Robot loves to be hugged, express emotions
Here's your afternoon dose of cuteness, ready or not. David McGoran's Heart Robot has made its way into London's Science Museum, and for good reason. This intelligent robot not only possesses a face with moving eyes and an external heart that blinks depending on what's happening, but it actually encourages people to hug and cuddle it like a real human. Seen as being "among the first robots to signify a new era of emotional machines used for medical treatment and enjoyment," this creature could one day become a mainstay in nursing homes where the elderly could interact with it and hopefully benefit in some metaphysical manner. Check out the read link for a video oozing with adorableness.[Via TimesOnline]
Studio 5050's embrace-me hoodie lights up when hugged
Believe it or not, the concept here isn't revolutionary at all, but Studio 5050 is revising the old huggable shirt idea by infusing an ultra-soft hoodie with a pattern made of "silver conductive fabric." When two people wearing the embrace-me hoodies, um, embrace one another, energy is transferred and a pattern on the back lights up while a heartbeat sound is emitted. Quite frankly, we can't imagine this not boosting the hugs-per-day in a typical relationship, but at $480 to $600 per pair, counseling may come out a bit cheaper in the end.[Via OhGizmo]
