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Pepe the Frog is dead, but that won't stop 4chan
You have to sympathize with Matt Furie. The Boy's Club artist created Pepe the Frog as a positive, mellow character, but the amphibian got hijacked by the "alt-right" and became virtually synonymous with bigotry despite attempts to save him. So now, Furie is taking the next logical step: he's declaring Pepe dead. If you picked up Fantagraphics' Free Comic Book Day offering on May 6th, you saw a strip where Boy's Club characters mourned Pepe as he rested in an open casket. It's no doubt a hard decision for Furie (would you want to kill one of your cherished characters?), but arguably an important one -- he's effectively acknowledging that the internet has taken control of his creation.
Obama: Michael Jordan is more than just a meme
We're sure most of you know Michael Jordan as one of the best basketball players of all time, but we wouldn't be surprised if some clueless kid only knows him as "crying MJ." Since the meme continues to enjoy immense popularity -- and it's not hard to see why -- the president had to make sure people knew who Jordan was when he awarded the legendary athlete the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He's "more than just a logo, more than just an internet meme," the president jokingly said when he introduced the former Chicago Bulls player and Space Jam star. It's been over a decade since his final retirement, after all, and twenty years since the film that co-starred Bugs Bunny.
The Morning After: Monday October 31st 2016
While today officially marks Halloween, we're sure you've already made, worn and irreversibly damaged your costume over the weekend. That's fine; we all have to come back to reality some time. And at least there are dinosaur brains, rep-counting headphones and a tour around Xiaomi's HQ -- the world's next tech giant -- to soften the blow of those Monday blues.
This Halloween, dress as a sexy meme
Christmas may be the "most wonderful time of the year," but Halloween is the high holiday of sexy costumography. If you want to stand out from the legions of alluring nurses, librarians and teachers, take some inspiration from the most seductive subject of all: internet memes! Show off your switchblade skills with a slinky Crab with a Knife costume, rock some socks as a toothsome hipster Ariel or just melt hearts with a sultry Doge outfit. There's no meme too obscure, no reference too random that you can't add your own sexy spin to it. Except maybe Pepe the Frog. Planning to dress up as a meme this Halloween? Share your pics with us on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #Hallomemes
Memes made the presidential debate great again
There's something magical about an inside joke. A good inside joke reminds friends that no matter what happens, you'll always have that moment when you were completely in sync, united by laughter and happy tears. Memes, meanwhile, are inside jokes on a massive scale. Memes remind the people involved of happier times, when an entire country or group of disparate people shared a moment of levity, something to laugh about, something adorable to bond over. Throughout the cutthroat 2016 presidential election, citizens of the United States have been in dire need of a uniting force. And, during last night's second presidential debate, the people found their common ground in an affable, red-sweatered meme named Ken Bone.
A cartoon frog is this week's presidential campaign topic
If you were wondering what stage the 2016 Presidential Campaign had reached, the answer is politicized meme explanations. Social media and the internet have taken on a bigger role than ever in this race, and now the Clinton campaign posted an article breaking down the use of "Pepe" by the opposition. Featured in images reshared recently by Donald Trump and surrogates including his son, the cartoon frog has shifted from random 4chan symbol to an "alt-right" favorite.
Sony developing movie based on internet meme 'Slender Man'
Sony's said to be working on a horror film about "Slender Man," the paranormal character who rose to internet fame in recent years. According to The New York Times, Screen Gems, a studio that's part of Sony Pictures, is currently in talks to develop a movie based on the chilling meme. The report claims this future adaption doesn't have a complete script yet, but there's a chance production could start before the end of 2016. It'll be interesting to see how the story turns out, especially since Slender Man played a major role during a crime investigation in 2014. Back then, two 12-year-old girls were accused of stabbing a friend as part of a dark admiration for the fictional figure -- an outrageous and gruesome act, to say the least. Further details on the purported movie are scant right now, but we will likely find out more over the coming months.
Recommended Reading: Crying Jordan has taken over the internet
The Evolution of theMichael JordanCrying Face Meme Laura Wagner, NPR If you've been paying attention to Twitter over the last few months, especially sports Twitter, you've certainly noticed Michael Jordan's crying face pasted on a variety of images. Meant to visualize that "welp" moment of disappointment, the Crying Jordan meme has taken over the internet, and NPR has the story of its evolution.
The #2015bestnine Instagram meme was made to help launch a dating app
There's a decent chance you saw — and might have gotten annoyed by — a slew of #2015bestnine photo collages mucking up your Instagram feed just before the new year. Well, it turns out 130,000 people using the #2015bestnine app were doing more than just making collages — they were signing up for a secretive new service that turned out to be a dating app called Nine.
Recommended Reading: iPhone 6s in the hands of a pro photographer
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. iPhone 6s Camera Review: Switzerland by Austin Mann Still on the fence about all of those camera features on the iPhone 6s? Professional photographer Austin Mann has taken previous Apple handsets for a test-drive and he's done the same with the latest. From Live Photos to handy accessories and low-light performance, Mann details the phone's photography abilities while touring Switzerland.
Happy net neutrality day! Here are some llamas and a dress
Where were you the day the internet was freed from ISP tyranny? Apparently, you were either watching two llamas on the lam or tweeting that a clearly black and blue dress was actually gold and white. When two escaped camelids sent a Phoenix sheriff's posse on a Benny Hill chase, it spawned a million GIFs and seemed a perfect capper to a momentous day. But then, someone posted a picture of a dress on Tumblr that, due to a trick of light, appeared to be either black and blue or gold and white. Before you could say "rods and cones" the story went insane, with over 20 million views on Buzzfeed. So while some may wring their hands about the dumbing down of the internet, we say, enjoy it! Here are some of the best tweets, GIFs and Vines below -- you can always get serious later. (By the way, the dress is blue and black.)
Testing the smartglasses that actually look like glasses
What happens when a company that makes old-fashioned spectacles attempts smartglasses? You get something like Meme, from Japanese glasses maker JINS. Still in prototype stage and courting developers, the glasses will go on sale early this year for around $800 (correction: JINS expects the glasses to arrive priced somewhere far more reasonable: apparently that's the point). However, let's get out of the way what Meme doesn't do. There's no screen; there are no cameras. There's no voice activation or commands. But when I put them on, they feel like... glasses. And after testing some (if not all) of the other smartglasses, it was a relief. Is less more? JINS hopes so.
Watch this: YouTube recaps some of 2014's best moments
With this year finally coming to a close, YouTube wants to make sure you haven't forgotten about the memes, moments and people that stood out throughout 2014. Using some of its most popular content creators, the website has posted its YouTube Rewind video covering the past 12 months, which has become a tradition for the Google-owned site since a few years ago. Dubbed Turn Down for 2014 (because TD4W, amirite?), the video mashup plays to the tune of hit songs like All About That Bass, Fancy, Happy, Let it Go and, of course, Turn Down for What. YouTube also revealed its Top 10 list of music videos, one that was topped by Katy Perry's Dark Horse and sits just shy of 716 million total views.
Grumpy Cat turns a genetic defect into a $100 million empire
A cat that does nothing but look mildly peeved has managed to parlay that "talent" into nearly $100 million in just over two years, according to the Express. Grumpy Cat's newly-rich owner, Tabatha Bundeson called the feline (whose real name is Tardar Sauce) "unstoppable... what she's achieved in such a short time is unimaginable and absolutely mind-blowing." Feline dwarfism and an underbite caused the cat's permanent glower, which has been plastered over books, merchandise and even a Lifetime film. It even managed to out-earn most Hollywood and sports stars this year -- so if you happen to see four fiery, skull-headed horsemen around, now you know why. Update: Grumpy Cat's owner, Tabatha Bundesen, has come out and said that the report from the Express is inaccurate. That being said, she didn't specify how much money her perpetually pissed pussy cat has raked in. While it might not be quite $100 million in profit, rest assured that Bundsen has gotten plenty rich off her feline's likeness. In addition to the upcoming Lifetime film, Grumpy cat has "written" two books and has an endorsement deal with Friskies cat food. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Here's why 'Too Many Cooks' is tailor-made for the internet
By now, there's a good chance that you've seen or heard about Adult Swim's Too Many Cooks -- an epic, warped internet video that sends up the overly tidy world of '80s and '90s sitcoms. But just why did this video manage to click with so many people? If you ask PBS, it's because the 11-minute clip speaks directly to the heart of online culture. The internet is fond of absurdist humor that highlights the apparently meaningless, repetitive nature of life, PBS argues; Too Many Cooks plays on that love of the ludicrous by dismantling a formulaic, "perfect" TV universe where everything has meaning.
'Y can't Metroid crawl?' Smash Bros. has the answer
If you ever found yourself wondering why Metroid's Samus can't crawl, Nintendo has issued an explanation: because she doesn't need to. The above screenshot from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (via @Electivirus) references an infamous Miiverse post from a player confused by the first hour of Super Metroid. Skipping out on the Morph Ball power-up led some to question how to navigate an early passageway, and many (presumably younger) players took to Miiverse to vent their frustrations following Super Metroid's Wii U Virtual Console release. The phrasing of this particular question was pretty much perfect, though, instantly solidifying its meme status. Nice work, Nintendo. We see what you did there. [Image: Nintendo / @Electivirus]
Doge Blast is wow such fun
Doge Blast is a silly casual game filled with references to popular video games, movies, memes, and other geekery. That great meme dog Doge is the hero in Doge Blast and players launch Doge from a cannon into a crazy world brimming with ceiling cats, evil raccoons, and basement horses. Think of it as if the madness of the internet was let loose on a relatively peaceful land with double rainbows galore. Doge Blast is playable on iOS devices running 4.3 or later. Players start Doge Blast by holding a finger down on the Doge character which aims the cannon and release when the bar on the left side turns green to send Doge hurtling toward all the fantastic meme goodness. The goal of the game is to see how far you can get in feet and also height. You earn XP while your character flies and avoids the ground for as long as possible. If you hit the ground, your character will bounce for a little while before stopping which means you can potential keep going for awhile if you hit enough obstacles that throw you into the air. The Doge character can be leveled up when the XP bar reaches the right side of the screen. After each level up, it takes a little bit more XP to level up again which makes the abilities you level more important as you may not get to level up again for awhile. There are four abilities to level up in Doge Blast: aerodynamics, bounciness, friction, and luck. The aerodynamics ability helps your character fly further through the level. The bounciness ability helps Doge bounce higher when running into obstacles or the ground. The friction ability reduces drag and helps you go faster. Luck helps players avoid unlucky obstacles like the demon long cat which will cause Doge to fall down. After each run, players can purchase power ups and cannons with Doge dollars, the in game currency. Cannons help Doge get further in the level, the better cannons cost more Doge dollars. The power up items that can be purchased are: can-o-beans, DogeCola and Dentos, jetpack, stimpack, shield, and XP boost. The can-o-beans humorously boosts Doge higher into the air. DogeCola and Dentos is a parody of cola and Mentos which also boost Doge into the air but more powerful. The jetpack is really nice as it boosts your character into the air while also floating a little in the air which helps you get further distance wise. The stimpack helps Doge continue going after stopping which is beneficial for those who are doing really well and want to keep it up. The shield power up prevents Doge from being affected by an obstacle that could cut your journey through the land of memes short. The last power up, an XP boost, costs the most and is one of the most beneficial power ups in the game as it gives you five boosts, one per launch which helps you level up quicker. Doge Blast features a minor story mode in the form of an occasional pop up in the corner of the screen that players can tap to pause the main game and bring up a funny story line focusing around the standard hero, a girl the hero likes, and an evil villain plot. The story adds a little variety to the base gameplay which is refreshing and compliments the humorous theme seen throughout. The story mode rewards players by providing extra XP and sometimes Doge dollars which is a nice incentive for players to keep following the story. The main gameplay gets a little repetitive but certain obstacles Doge interacts with offer mini games like a Flappy Bird clone that help keep the game from becoming boring. This is fascinating and encourages players to keep going just to uncover the other geekery. Doge Blast is a fun game that doesn't take itself too seriously and it really is a blast to play. Doge Blast is free on the App Store and Advice Mallard recommends downloading it if only for the meme references.
Imgur launches meme generator, fuels your procrastination even more
Good Guy Greg or Scumbag Steve -- you decide which one Imgur is now that its new meme generator is ready to suck up more of your time. The tool comes with a bunch of popular templates, although you can upload a picture if you've always dreamt of following in Overly Attached Girlfriend's footsteps. It's similar to services like I Can Has Cheezburger and Quickmeme -- simply drop text boxes onto the images to showcase your own brand of humor and wit. Unsure how to create your own viral sensation? Browse the generator's gallery to check out past hits and maybe try remixing a few first. Between this and Imgur's new Android app, we wouldn't be surprised if some of you are kissing your afternoon productivity goodbye.
Harlem Shake open-sourced for iOS apps
The Harlem Shake YouTube dance meme, if you ask me, ended about three weeks ago -- which I think was right around when it started. But that hasn't stopped the developers at Velos Mobile from creating an open-source Objective-C class for iOS projects that will take all of an app's standard UIViews, and shake them up, Harlem-style. Even if you're not a developer, you can see the effects of the code below. As old and tired as these meme is, it's still pretty funny to see the standard iOS controls get down to the dubstep. As Velos Mobile says, "Please don't ship this." Developers can add it in their own code, and we may even see some apps make videos with it, but it's a pretty much just a silly hack rather than an actual feature. Still, it's good for a laugh or two on this Friday afternoon.
Google springs for .lol, .youtube domains, we wonder if it's going TLD .crazy
Google just can't wait until ICANN reveals custom domain name bids in mid-June to say what it's trying to buy -- and it's clear that Mountain View went on a shopping spree. Some of the top-level domains in the land grab are ones you'd expect safeguarding Google's prized possessions, such as .google, .youtube and .docs. Others make us fear for the future of Internet memes. Google claims that it's bidding for TLDs such as .lol to explore their "interesting and creative potential,' but we have a hunch it's just taking the addition of LOL to the dictionary a little too seriously. The company does assuage our fears with a promise to prevent TLD abuse. If we ever see omgwtf.lol become a reality, though, we'll know Google has gone off the .deepend.
