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Kitty security announcement
Earlier this week, Abby, a Sanrio Community Manager, took the opportunity to remind us all that we should be careful about sending our personal information out via e-mail. Furthermore, any e-mails sent to addresses you never gave to the Sanrio community should be considered dangerous. If the e-mail is from "onlinegame(at)hellokitty.com" then you can consider it safe, and if necessary, divulge certain personal information. As always, be wise; it's not just your account information, but your identity, that is at stake when it comes to scams. If you are not on the master list, you should not be receiving e-mails about beta testing at all. Although Abby promises that all information that you send them will be kept private, it is important to note that if your e-mail address ever appears in print it will appear partially, so that you will never be hounded by spambots. As much of a fan as I am, I'd like to keep my inbox free of "Keroppi enlargement" advertisements, thanks (we've all been there).Have you received any curious or suspicious e-mails purporting to be official? If so, remember to click "report as phishing scam" with your e-mail service provider.
Elect your Flower Kingdom leader!
Rumor has it that some of your favorite characters will be featured in the upcoming MMO as country leaders! In the spirit of Amanda Dean's Azerothian General Elections, I thought it would be fitting to find out who are the fan favorites for leaders of Sanrio.Let's take a look at the personalities and platforms of the candidates, shall we?A. Hello Kitty (London, England): Hello Kitty believes that friendship is the key to peace and economic stability. If elected, she promises to hold free friendship seminars and events, including trust falls, group therapy, communal gardening and a buddy system. Other key issues in her platform include the "Cookies for Love" campaign, fair market prices, and staying in school. If elected, she will be bringing Charmmy Kitty on as her advisor.
Hello Kitty Online: I have no mouth, and I must scream [Updated]
Some of you have anticipated it. Some of you have dreaded it. Some of us have been threatened with it, when we've been naughty bloggers ('Follow the style guidelines or we'll make you play it!'). Whatever your reaction to the news, it's finally happening: Hello Kitty Online is currently in closed beta, and will launch sometime in the latter half of 2008.So, what can we expect from HKO? Appearances from other Sanrio characters: check. Cute explorable zones like the Flower Kingdom: check. Combat system: che -- wait, what? Combat system, guilds, extensive crafting system ... this is an actual MMORPG, not just another cutesy virtual world like Club Penguin or Webkinz!Color me curious; I've already signed up for the beta. More news as it comes. Keep an eye on Massively for all your superdeformed, facial orifice-less, kawaii character needs.[Updated: Closed beta actually begins on April 23rd.]
Hello Kitty AR-15 assault rifle makes you wish it was Photoshopped
If the Disintegrator had you quivering in your combat boots, we'd recommend grabbing a bullet proof vest and having a seat for this one. Apparently, a fellow in California has dressed up a (legal) AR-15 assault rifle in Hello Kitty fashion for his better half, and while it'd be way too easy to pass this off as a fantastic Photoshop job, the pictures awaiting you in the read link definitely prove otherwise. Cute never looked so evil. [Via CNET]
Hello Kitty gets Swarovski-studded again on the NEC LaVie G laptop
When you really love Hello Kitty, it's safe to say that one of anything featuring her image is never enough. If you know what we mean, you may want to check into the latest high-end entry in the canon: the NEC LaVie G Hello Kitty edition -- a follow-up to this Summer's LaVie -- once again featuring images of the ubiquitous cat studded in breathtaking Swarovski crystals. Underneath the glitz you'll find a 15.4-inch WXGA display, an AMD Turion CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, plus a DVD+RW and a handful of USB ports which will allow you to plug in your Hello Kitty flash drives and the like. Right now this sweet puppy kitty is only available in Japan, and will run you around ¥210,000 ($1,840) -- but we don't think that will stop you.
Hello Kitty gets her own automatic toilet paper dispenser
Sadly, automatic toilet paper dispensers are nothing new to this gadget-crazed world, but the latest from Sanrio puts a bizarre twist on an already zany contraption. The Hello Kitty TP dispenser is gushing with obligatory cuteness and can be programmed to dole out exactly the right amount of paper with each button press; of course, there really should be a couple of buttons to satisfy the whole family, but we digress. The unit reportedly rings up at around $220, which sounds about two bills too high unless you're already devoted to collecting all things adorned with Ms. Kitty. Ah well, at least your Hello Kitty toilet paper won't seem so out of place now, right?
Hello Kitty gets two new Bluetooth headsets
What better to go with your shiny new Hello Kitty-themed phone than -- wait for it -- a Bluetooth headset doused in cuteness? Apparently, a pair of these very devices have managed to surface, and we're sure gals everywhere are clamoring to get their hands, er, ear under one. Granted, we've no idea how well these things would actually work (nor how much they'll cost), but the adorable factor is undeniably through the roof. If you're not already overwhelmed, feel free to check out the other version after the break.[Thanks, Mickel]
Hello Kitty mouse: does it chase itself?
Hello Kitty has found her way onto a-many of gizmos, but the irony of Queen Cuteness showing up on her favorite prey is striking, indeed. Nevertheless, this adorable critter plays nice with Macs and PCs, reportedly boasts a 1,200dpi sensor, includes a scroll wheel and right / left click buttons, and touts one of the most un-ergonomic designs we've ever witnessed. Notably, we've no idea whether or not this piece is actually authentic, but hey, it sure looks the part and costs just $10.08.[Via ChipChick]
Hello Kitty DS Lite skin, goodbye elegance
This Hello Kitty decal set for the DS Lite has a lot going on. There's the obvious Kitty, outlined in a rhinestone-like pattern, and the "Hello Kitty" name, just as we'd expect from a Hello Kitty-branded product.But everywhere there's not Kitty, there are flowers and butterflies. Every area of vinyl that can have a flower on it has a flower on it. We haven't tested this theory, but we're pretty sure it would confuse and irritate our real cats. This is quite a divergence from the last batch of Hello Kitty skins we saw, which were quite nicely designed! [Via Aeropause]
Hello Kitty emergency gadget saves lives, looks real cute
If you live in a place like Japan, there are two things that probably pop into your head from time to time. One is earthquakes, because the little island has been home to some of the biggest over the years, and the other is Hello Kitty -- and she needs no introduction. Sanrio, in its infinite wisdom, has sought to join these two disparate elements by creating the Hello Kitty emergency gadget. In the event of some type of catastrophic event, Hello Kitty will be there with her hand crank USB cell phone charger, LED flashlight, AM/FM radio. hazard siren, and compass -- all in one super-cute pink package. Of course, once rescue workers find you, you still might die... of humiliation.
Make pudding with the Sugarbunnies
Move over Mama, there's a new set of cooks in town. Make that a nest ... of bunnies. Sanrio's Sugarbunnies, to be exact, and they are ready to bring you on board for a delicious candy-making revolution. Bunny twins Shirousa and Kurousa have been charged with making candy for everyone, and as far as we can tell, they have to select the right recipes and ingredients to satisfy a variety of sugary cravings through Cooking Mama-style minigames. But the Sugarbunnies go beyond the limits of Cooking Mama, it seems, as they need to harvest the proper ingredients for the recipes. Sounds a little like Animal Crossing on the farm and in the kitchen to us, and that's really all we need to know to be interested. The Sugarbunnies will be bounding onto the DS in Japan this fall.
Your Hello Kitty research is about to get a lot easier
Ever been asked a question regarding biographical information about a Sanrio character, but you can't answer because you're too far away from your extensive Hello Kitty database? You're in luck, if you get into that very unlikely situation in the future, and you can read Japanese!Hello Kitty's Fashonable Party contains biographies of 300 Sanrio characters, with info about their birthdays, favorite food, and ... probably other stuff too. The game will quiz you about this stuff, presumably so you can memorize it. Fashionable Party also contains a dress-up mode and, predictably, a spate of minigames as well. In this case, though, the minigames are probably welcome since they bring the only actual gaming to the Party.
Hello Kitty gets her own crock pot
Unfortunately, the Hello Kitty crock pot arrived a tick too late to be considered for any snazzy kitchenware awards, but we're sure it's a real winner in the hearts of fanboys and girls everywhere. Aiming to take the difficulty out of cooking and give even the culinarily-challenged a surefire way to concoct a solid round of soup, the HK slow cooker should handle your roasts, veggie soups, and chowders with ease, and what better to season such delicacies in than a pot full of cute? Sadly, we've no word on price nor where to purchase this fine piece of countertop cookware, but giving your future meals the ability to simmer in cheerfulness is priceless indeed.[Via CNET]
Hello Kitty keeps your air feline fresh
It's not the first Hello Kitty air purifier, it won't be the last Hello Kitty air purifier, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks, Sanrio, for bringing sunshine to our life.
Find the differences between Quickspot and this new San-X game
Hint: there aren't many. San-X no Chara Sagashi Land (San-X Character Searching Land) offers the exact same kind of gameplay as Quickspot, with San-X trappings. San-X, for those of you who don't follow the Adorable Junk scene, is a sub-label of Hello Kitty creators Sanrio whose characters are ... different enough in some inscrutable way to be separate from the main brand. So, instead of getting to look at two nearly-identical Katamari Damacy images (sigh) and drawing circles around the differences, you'll be scrutinizing Tarepanda the sleepy panda, Kogepan, the anthropomorphic bread who has depression, and others. And for your troubles you get a gallery of mascot images. Of the same characters you were just staring at.We don't mean to sound down on the game-- we're actually really surprised at what new genres the DS design is encouraging. There may have been 'look at two things at once and spot the differences' games before, but the DS is absolutely perfect for them.We've included a few precious screens after the break.
Hello Kitty USB foot warmers? We don't know what to say
Oh, wow. We... we'd like to thank Sanrio for making this possible. And mom. Thanks mom! Also, Thanko, a true inspiration to superfluous USB usage. You guys rock! There are just so many people to thank, we don't want to miss anyone! Brando, for selling all that Thanko crap. We... we promised ourselves we wouldn't cry! ... *sniffle* ... so much for that. We've just never been more proud, to live on an planet where beautiful things like Hello Kitty USB foot warmers can happen. A true achievement for mankind. Oh no, the orchestra is playing -- so many more people to thank -- thank you world!
Sega Sammy to adopt Hello Kitty
Sega Sammy and Hello Kitty toymaker Sanrio have agreed to form a "strategic alliance" that will likely re-introduce the anthropomorphized feline to video game platforms. To date, Sanrio has worked with a mess of game publishers -- ranging from Namco and THQ to lesser-known companies like ValuSoft and Typhoon -- to release a haphazard catalogue of Hello Kitty titles. The partnership with Sega Sammy will likely spur a more aggressive and consistent campaign that could also include a line of pachinko machines. While Hello Kitty remains a globally recognizable brand, its popularity has no doubt diminished since the late 90s. With an uninspired history in the games medium, Sega Sammy's gonna have to spend some solid hours submerged in the think tank before attempting a jump-start.
Hello Kitty gets ritzy, dons platinum outfit for the holidays
We've seen Hello Kitty hit the low-end, the mid-range, the high-end, and everywhere in between, but this here rendition has to be some sort of record. In a feat that's sure to be outdone relatively soon, the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo will be selling a 21-ounce miniature rendition of the cat donned in platinum. The shiny feminine feline reportedly comes with seven different hair ribbons made of "diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems" that can be worn by Hello Kitty or used as a pendant. This hope diamond of Japanese cuteness can be snatched up (if it hasn't been already) for a mere ¥18.9 million ($164,291) if you so desire, but we can think of much more practical uses for all that extra disposable income to be quite honest.[Via Hello Kitty Hell]
Uncanny Valley 2: Hello Kitty edition
We've been freaked out quite well enough by the original Acroid DER bot, but now Kokora, a Sanrio Group company (yes, that Sanrio), is busting out Acroid DER2 with skinner arms, better hair, and a snazzy little inter-Sanrio shout-out in the form of a Hello Kitty tee. The Hello Kitty fembot, as this uncanny specimen shall be henceforth named, also includes a wider repertoire of expressions, which are supposedly smoother, making it more likely that innocent bystanders will be fooled, and hardcore robot/Hello Kitty enthusiasts like us will have haunted dreams. If you're man enough to navigate the uncanny valley, you can rent the HKfb for events for a mere 400,000 Yen ($3,389 US), which gets you 5 days with the fembot, though we suppose delivery costs to the US won't be cheap, and "choreography" charges do apply as well.
Hello Kitty takes over portable media players
When will the madness of Hello Kitty gadgetry come to an end? We can't take it anymore, seriously. To review, we've seen a cellphone, Xbox, MP3 player, guitar, SD card, laptop, and tailpipe (plus lots more we couldn't find or didn't even post about) in the last two yeare. Our partners in crime over at Engadget Chinese came across the latest sighting of the queen of kawaii: a Hello Kitty mobile DVD player with a 3.5-inch screen and a three hour battery life. This whole package can be yours for 4,000 yuan, or about $500 -- not as cute as we'd thought with a price like that, but really, who can resist that puss? As proven, certainly not us.
