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Play Whac-A-Mole on these weather-predicting smart ceramics
Most consumer IoT devices we've come across are made out of dull plastic, so excuse us for getting a bit excited over these porcelain smart mugs and vases at IDF in Shenzhen. Yes, porcelain, courtesy of Chinese ODM Thread Technology who's integrated Intel's tiny Edison computer module into these white ware pieces. And thanks to the translucent nature of the ceramic material, the company's able to add a simple 12 x 16-dot LED touchscreen underneath the inner wall. Once turned on, you can scroll through features such as weather forecast, music (either from a phone via Bluetooth or from the 4GB of onboard storage; built-in speaker), WeChat notification (voice playback and reply supported), dice and even a simple Whac-A-Mole game. Both devices have a conductive charging mat as well.
Intel shows off a light-up smart mug, because why not?
Why not indeed? In addition to all the usual stuff (tablets, Ultrabooks, what have you), Intel's CES booth includes a tablet full of... coffee mugs. Yep, mugs. It's a bit strange, at first, to see so many photographers crowded around, taking hands-on photos of a porcelain cup. But then you notice the LED lights. Using a companion app, you can program the lights to display numbers, letters and smiley faces, in different colors. Additionally, Intel is showing a demo of it working with an internet-connected baby onesie, in which the lights on the mug pulse to match up with the child's respiratory patterns. For now, the mug is just a concept, but Intel hopes it can eventually help bring it to market. In particular, the company is working with a manufacturer in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen, which has a 2,000-year-old porcelain-making tradition, but has been economically depressed in recent years. In the meantime, of course, Intel can't say when this might go on sale, or how much it might cost. We say, use that time to figure out more uses for the thing. Engadget's UK editors (born tea experts) have a few suggestions: show someone's order on the outside, or change colors when that latte starts to get cold.
New Windows Phone store lets you wear your 'I heart WP' on your sleeve
So you love Windows Phone, but how can you let the world know? Until now, you'd either have to wave your object of desire around, or keep showing colleagues those "Smoked by Windows Phone" YouTube videos. Now, you can simply wear your alliance across your chest, or favorite beverage, thanks to a new CafePress store. Revealed in a Windowsteamblog post, the shop will let you grab mugs, t-shirts, stickers, magnets and more emblazoned with "I Heart Windows Phone" in icons. Not only that, in case all those soccer moms didn't know which side of the fence you stood, you can clear up the doubt by snagging a bodysuit for your youngest. Credit card at the ready? Jump on that source link for the goods.
New Stormwind and Orgrimmar mugs available from TavernCraft
Taverncraft and ThinkGeek now have available both the Alliance and Horde Taverncraft mugs for order at their respective sites, just in time for the holidays. The Alliance mug features King Varian Wrynn and the capital of Stormwind, while the Horde mug features Orgrimmar with once-Warchief Thrall. Both mugs are stoneware and are shipping in late December. Check them out at Taverncraft and ThinkGeek.
Okamiden mug makes hot beverages cuter
Were the Okamiden teacups not puppy-shaped enough for you? Capcom's latest Japan-only merchandise offering is this mug, with Chibiterasu's face, tail, and wings (is that what those are?) on it. The mug will be out in February for ¥1,890 ($23) -- plenty of time for you to start that coffee habit. This mug is the latest in Capcom's user-suggested merchandise campaign. Previously announced releases include towels, a book cover, the Chibiterasu plush, and these slippers that we're just now seeing, which need to be on our feet right this very second.
Murloc stein available for pre-order
I have bad memories of elementary school art class. My art teacher used to scare us into behaving by warning us that if we got a single drip of ceramic paint on our skin, we'd die from blood poisoning. That said, it seems appropriate that I am now telling you that there is a new ceramic stein in Taverncraft's World of Warcraft Epic Collection steins series, featuring Azeroth's deadliest aquatic antagonists: murlocs. The mug is endearingly titled RAWGRLRLRLRRLGLRL!!! and features a Winterfin Oracle, Bluefin Murloc, and a Murloc Tidehunter. There is also a wonderfully creepy, open-mouthed murloc head protruding from the stein's pewter lid. Unlike ceramics class, this stein won't kill you ... Well, it shouldn't kill you. The mug will ship in September, and is currently available for a pre-order price of $89.99 USD until Sunday, June 13th, 2010. After that, the normal price of $99.99 USD will apply. Taverncraft is responsible for various other licensed World of Warcraft steins, which you can find on their website. %Gallery-94890%
Nikon's got a coffee-toting zoom lens, too
Canon's thermos was fantastic and all, but we've gotta say -- Nikon's the one widening our worldview. 24-70mm, f/2.8, contents may be hot, now available for preorder at the source link.
Canon captures your coffee in a 70-200mm telephoto lens
OK, not really, but Canon was indeed giving out these novelty coffee mugs -- in the shape of an EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens -- at the Winter Olympic's press center, and here's Microsoft's Josh Weisberg (Director of Rich Media Group) showing off his swag to the whole world. Yes, we're just a bit envious. So anyone got a spare Canon L-Series lens that we can tamper with? Or maybe that big-daddy Sigma lens if you're game with sharing coffee?
EU-exclusive Frostmourne mug and keychain set now on Blizzard store
You lucky European ducks may just have finally gotten that one thing you can hold over the heads of those Americans with their superiority complexes. The official online Blizzard store is now offering, exclusively for Europe, a set of Frostmourne-themed merchandise. Enclosed in a special box, the set contains one Frostmourne hilt keychain and one insulated metal mug with Frostmourne's runic engravings on one side. Steely-eyed readers may notice that the keychain is the same one as, or at least identical to, the one that came in your BlizzCon '09 goody bag. Of course, this one is "made of rhodium, a rare metal offering even higher quality than silver." The mug, on the other hand, is a never-before-seen piece of merch. The set is, of course, limited edition, so if you want to make this the perfect gift for the burgeoning death knight in your family, you'd best act quickly. Then again, I don't think they like warmth very much. Maybe an insulated mug isn't the best gift idea. I'm thinking -- hear me out -- macaroni necktie.
3 Point makes a real-life Tankard o' Terror
3 Point Entertainment (makers of the official World of Warcraft steins) has released a brand new stein, modeled after the epic Brewfest mug the Tankard o' Terror. As you can see above, this beauty of a brewholder is much different from the other mugs -- it's made to look exactly like the ingame item, even though that means it's more angled than curved and a little bit primitive-looking. It's also a huge piece of stoneware, standing over nine inches tall and weighing four pounds. I don't know that you'd ever want to drink anything out of it, but I guess, fittingly for a tanking tankard, if you hit someone over the head with it, they'd feel it.Alex will be able to tell us what that's like, as he's already got one ordered. This mug is also much cheaper than the other mugs -- it's only $39.99 (as if "only" was a fitting adjective for a purchase like this), which means that 3 Point has probably heard your complaining here in our comments sections and decided to offer up a lower price point option. I won't be going for this one, but the idea of replicating Azerothian cookery in real-life is intriguing. I might buy a Cookie's Tenderizer if I had the chance.
Barrens Chat: Bubbles bubbles everywhere...
And way too much to drink.Just a short this week in honor of Brewfest. Which has ironically fallen on the same week as this school's homecoming, so no matter where I look there are parties and drunken revelry. Anyways, I haven't had the chance to participate in Brewfest too much this year, although I did roll up an alliance not long ago and rode the Tram for the first time.In closing, have a safe and happy World of Warcraft holiday, and don't drink and ride!See you next week. %Gallery-22361% Barrens Chat is a weekly comic strip that's been shortened today due to too many trips through the festival grounds. If you're looking for something longer, why not try an unwanted parody. Like 'em short and sweet? Try this shocking shorty. Come back next week for another comic!
These 1ups taste like beer
What better way to test your drinking limits than with a 1up stein? This way, if you drink too much, you'll have an extra life stored away that you can make use of.* It's too bad, then, that these nifty mugs aren't available to the public. Designed as a gift for Die Krieger des Lichts clients, only a select few will ever get their hands on these limited edition steins. Yet, if you do manage to nab one somewhere, somehow, we recommend skipping the beer and trying out some Mario themed drinks insead.Prost!*Note: Seriously, drink responsibly and legally. This public service announcement was brought to you by DS Fanboy.[Via Technabob]
TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway Day Two
Day two of TUAW's back-to-school giveaway, and today's prize is a red tumbler from the mothership! This food-grade beverage holder is relatively safe from viruses, like your Mac. Unlike your Mac, you should wash it from time to time. Like an iPhone, it is meant to be cradled in the hand. Unlike the iPhone, it doesn't smudge. Then again, you aren't really wiping your ear on a mug, are you? We bought this in January at the Company Store in Cupertino.Same deal as yesterday: enter by leaving a comment on this post. Again, limited to the 50 US states, you must be 18 and only one entry per person per day, please. Each day we'll open a new post for comments from 5AM-11:59PM. To enter, leave a comment on that post (make sure it appears, check your email). To see full rules, go to our TUAW Back-to-school giveaway page.Stay tuned for tomorrow's prize: something mightier than the sword.
A hollow Chocobo head for your beverages
If you're planning to drink some of Suntory's execrable Final Fantasy Potion, you may as well do it in style, by pouring it into an adorable Chocobo-head mug. Or you could skip the Potion and fill the mug with something that you may actually enjoy. It really depends on what's more important to you: flavor or Square Enix product synergy.Now when you sit down on your Chocobo cushion to play some Chocobo Tales, you can have up to 15 ounces of, uh ... if not Potion, how about "choco-late" milk? It's less thematically appropriate, but it's phonetically appropriate, and has the added benefit of being delicious.NCSX is taking preorders for this $18 mug, to ship in July. While you're shopping, check out the other Square Enix preorder of the day: cool Dragon Quest Monsters toys.
December User Group Roundup
Mark your calendar now. Here's our TUAW-exclusive December roundup of user group events. Do you help run an Apple-themed User Group? Do you have any upcoming January 2007 meetings or events? Please let us know via our Tips form by the 15th of December to be included in the TUAW January User Group Roundup. Send complete details about your meetings or events! Please include the name of your group, the website and contact e-mail for your group, the date and time of the event, the event location (with a link to directions if possible), and a description of the event itself. The more information you provide, the easier it is for potential members to find you. PlanoMUG http://www.planomug.com Dallas, Texas Wednesday, December 20, 7:00 PM Bavarian Grill "Banket Room" Apple Corps of Dallas begins it's 30th year as an active Apple User Group in January. MacTechnnics http://www.mactechnics.org Ann Arbor, MI December 9 Ann Arbor Open @ Mack, 920 Miller Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103-3349 We're having our annual Holiday Party Potluck Auction/Raffle Macintosh User Group meeting on Dec 9th. If you're in the area, please join us and save a bundle on holiday shopping for your Macintosh friends! ExaMUG http://www.examug.org.uk Exeter, UK December 12 ISCA College, Exeter Getting the most from iphoto (just in time for Xmas), examug Surgery (tips, hints and problems solved!), Raffle (including an ipod Nano as 1st prize and Comic Life for 2nd place). Greenville, SC MUG We learned this past week that our Greenville, SC MUG is going to have some exciting events in the next year. They\'re so exciting that we\'ve been sworn to secrecy. MacPeople http://www.macpeoplemug.org Gainesville, Florida Thursday, December 14, 6PM University of Florida Campus MacPeople, the Gainesville, Florida area Mac Users Group, will be holding our annual holiday social on Thursday, December 14th at 6 p.m. on the University of Florida campus. We'll have a pot luck and show a collection of Apple-themed videos for our guest's entertainment. Our members and guest will have an opportunity to mingle with each other, ask question, and talk about all kinds of Mac-related topics. More information and directions can be found on our website, www.macpeoplemug.org Double Click http://www.double-click.org Milwaukee, WI Sunday, December 17th Our Sunday, December 17th meeting features a presentation of TopXNotes by James Lee, President of Tropical Software, Inc.
MacCamp
MacCamp is not the camp your parents shipped you off to every summer when you were a kid. MacCamp is twice-yearly, three-day, Mac-centric, Mac Users Group members-only retreat held in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains of Silver Falls State Park in the great Pacific Northwest, about a half hour east of Salem, Oregon. MacCamp was the brainchild of PMUG, the Portland Macintosh Users Group, and they've been holding it for more than twenty years now. You don't have to be a member of PMUG to join the retreat, though - members of other MUGs are welcome too, and the cost to everyone is minimal - less than $200 for a weekend that includes lodging with all the comforts of home, no less than 6 classes in a variety of subjects, invaluable social interaction and all meals and snacks during your stay. The best part is that although the four cabins have no outside Internet connection, they are still networked together by the campers themselves when everyone arrives Friday afternoon, with their Macs in tow. In addition to setting up Airport for wireless, the lodges are physically wired together with ethernet cabling, which is no small task in the woods. The network is then used for iTunes, iPhoto and other media sharing, LAN gaming, chatting, etc.The lineup of classes this time included photography, working with Photoshop and Illustrator, running Windows on an Intel Mac, podcasting and fun productivity applications.Rob "Mac OS X Hints" Griffiths spent only a day at MacCamp, hosting the above-mentioned productivity app session, and he was impressed. He tells a bit more about his experience on the Macworld Editors' Notes blog.PMUG sounds like a shining example of a Mac Users Group and I wonder how many other MUGS hold similar events. If you're a MUG member, raise your hand! And if you're not familiar with your local MUG (and I bet many of you don't even know if you have a local MUG - I bet you do), now might be a good time to get acquainted. You can search for one serving your area on Apple's User Group Locater.
Engadget editor assaulted for RAZR; innocence lost
Our own Paul Miller is used to taking an occasional beating in comments, but one overzealous Engadget fan took it a bit too far last night in the rough-and-tumble streets of North Harlem. After a quick jaunt to the deli for the, shall we say, "supplies" we need to fuel our tireless nights of blogging, Paul minded his own business as he strode home, phoning his ill grandmother with the Motorola RAZR he was able to purchase with his meager stipend. Suddenly and without warning, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, striking him in the cheekbone with the brutal force of a heavyweight boxer in an ill-fated attempt for his V3. Big mistake: as with all Engadget writers, Paul's body is a weapon. By explaining in excruciating detail why any two-bit mugger knows that RAZRs are too low-end these days to bother swiping, he dispatched the would-be thief as quickly as he came, leaving all of Harlem a warning that we are best not messed with -- especially when working on our sixth Red Bull. As you can see, Paul's been left with a battle scar that he wears proudly. This is as close as you'll ever get to his RAZR if you know what's good for you.
