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Daily iPhone App: Bitter Sam drops down into the depths
Bitter Sam is an interesting title, not necessarily because of its mechanics (it's basically a tilting avoidance title), but just because it's so unapologetically quirky. You play as a little kid named Sam, who swings back and forth on a rope as he's systematically lowered deeper and deeper into more and more dangerous levels. It's such a weird little premise for a game that I have to recommend it. Not that the gameplay is bad -- you swing Sam back and forth, basically trying to avoid dangerous obstacles, while also trying to collect gems as you go further and further, across 5 different worlds and over 100 different levels. But the gameplay doesn't stand out as much as the game's setting, and watching poor little, bitter Sam be so depressed as he's lowered down (and routinely dies in horrible ways) is worth the price of admission. Bitter Sam is a universal app from a developer called Moon Active. It's out and available right now for 99 cents.
Mutewatch wrists-on: stay on-task with good vibrations (video)
No, the picture above isn't some modernized Power Ranger's wrist communicator. This is the Mutewatch, and we've been intrigued since we first laid eyes on it over a year ago. At a glance, it looks akin to a rubber fashion bracelet, which could make its $260 price tag a shocker. But with the right touch or flick it reveals itself to be much more. The Stockholm-based start-up behind it, dubbed Mutewatch AB, envisions the device serving as "time management tool" for setting quick wrist-felt vibrating reminders during the course of the day. Think Growl, but on your wrist. The wristwatch lacks a dial and crystal, and instead has an angled, touch-sensitive section for a face with hidden LEDs, an ambient light sensor, a motion sensor and a vibrating motor for alarms. We've spent some time using a near-final unit seeing what it would be like silently manage our days, and it's all laid out just past the break. %Gallery-134989%
Klipsch Mode noise-canceling headphones tweet highs, woof lows
We've been worried about Klipsch's future since Audiovox joined the picture, but it looks like there isn't reason to fret just yet. Remember the company's first on-ear headphones, the Image One? Well, Klippy's back for round two evidently; its Mode active noise-canceling headphones have quietly popped up on its website with a whopping $350 price tag and a fall 2011 release. The collapsible earcups are padded in plushy leather and house a 40mm mid / low woofer with a 15mm tweeter for silky highs, crunchy mids and thumping lows. Also included are two detachable 3.5mm cables, one of which has an Apple-certified three-button inline remote / mic. Best of all, ANC can be enabled for up to 45 hours on a single battery to zone out any bustle around you. We'll have an ears-on with these very soon, but you'll find details now via the source link below.%Gallery-128214%
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite use of heavily stylized graphics?
In the earliest days of gaming, games were by their very nature pretty much abstract in graphics. The Atari 2600 couldn't really handle photorealistic human faces, after all. But even though we're now in the era when realism is not that far off, many games still employ intentionally stylized looks. LEGO Universe people look nothing like actual human beings, after all -- but they're not supposed to, representing instead the ubiquitous minifigures given motion and character. Some players really don't like stylized appearances, feeling that they look cartoony or artificial. Others prefer them to realistic graphics out of a sense that the style makes the game stand out more. MMOs have run the gamut from the detailed and realistic humans of All Points Bulletin to the intentionally unreal graphics of Super Hero Squad Online. So what game has stylized graphics that you think really work? Whether or not you like the style overall, where do you feel they add to the game's atmosphere? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Daniel Dociu talks Guild Wars 2 art direction
If you're looking for the latest art-centric news for ArenaNet's long-awaited Guild Wars sequel, look no further than Tap Repeatedly. Guild Wars 2 art director Daniel Dociu recently sat down for the second part of an interview that shines the spotlight on the forthcoming fantasy MMORPG's visual palette as well as the man responsible for overseeing it. The piece covers a lot of ground, including everything from GW2's painterly user interface to the company culture at ArenaNet (which was founded by a group of engineers but also boasts one of the MMO industry's premier artistic rosters). This is no accident, Dociu explains, and one of his goals as ArenaNet's art director is to ensure that game art is given the respect it deserves. "Too often in this industry art is an afterthought. More often than not the expectations are set too low. It isn't always regarded as an equally important component next to game design or technology," he explains. So what's up with the hand-crafted aesthetic that permeates everything from Guild Wars 2's client interface to its marketing materials? It's very deliberate, Dociu says, and it resulted in a marriage between talented artists and the realities of a finite budget. "We've unified stylistically the cinematics, user interface, and all visual branding... It all started because it was something we wanted to do, but we had to wait for the right moment and approach it from the resources angle."
Fiskar's '88' headphone amplifier concept touts bombastic knobs, oodles of style
There are headphone amplifiers, and then there's Fiskar's 88. Designer Edouard Urcadez took the liberty of utilizing the Fiskar brand on this here concoction, which features an unorthodox form factor, larger-than-life volume / tone knobs, an array of rear outputs and a Made in Finland badge. There's no theoretical specifications to simmer on, but the inclusion of speaker outputs leads us to believe that we're looking at a dual-stage amp or one with far more power than most headphone pushers. We've never actually seen an inanimate object cry for production, but we're going to stare at the image above a bit longer just in case. There's a first time for everything, right?
Lensbaby goes practical with aperture-adjustable Sweet 35 Optic
We love a Lensbaby lens as much as the next hipster, but if there's one thing the Optic Swap system isn't, it's fast. Switching out aperture plates is a royal pain, and for those looking to simply capture moments as they happen, it's a system that simply doesn't work. The company's apparently aiming to fix that with the introduction of its first 35mm optic with a 12-blade adjustable aperture. The Sweet 35 select focus optic requires but a twist to change the aperture, and in turn, the "sweet spot." 'Course, you'll still need to find yourself adequate light (or boost your ISO / slow your shutter) before stepping that aperture value up too high, but at least now it's easier than using a magnetic tool to fish one plate out and drop another in. The lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.5 and steps all the way down to f/22, and it'll focus down to 7.5 inches from the front of the lens. The downside is that this particular optic isn't compatible with current 37mm Lensbaby accessories, nor will it function with the Composer with Tilt Transformer for Micro Four Thirds and Sony NEX cameras. Still, for $180 it's easily the most practical thing the company has ever delivered, and we definitely hope this is just the beginning of a trend it intends to push.
TUAW's Daily App: What Cocktail
What Cocktail is a stylish app with a simple concept: what kind of cocktail do you want to drink, right now? By inputting your mood and location, then shaking (not stirring, of course) the app, you get a drink suggestion with a well designed logo and the recipe to go with it in case you're making your own. Sure, there's not a lot to it, but the design of the app is a great example of form meeting function. If you're at a bar and in a state where you can't choose your own drink, What Cocktail seems like a perfect solution. As of this writing, the app is on sale for US$0.99, so you can go grab it for just a buck. If there's a downside, it's that the drink choices are somewhat limited. Not only will you probably know the drink that comes up, but it might not quite fit the mood you're in. That's to be expected, though; you definitely want something simple to make and order, and if you're ordering drinks selected by an app, you have to know that they won't always be the right thing no matter what. I have one thing to say to that: Cheers! Drink up anyway.* *Of course, always drink responsibly and safely. And stay away from tequila -- that stuff is trouble.
LG's next set of 3D glasses were designed by a designer, will grace CES 2011
Alain Mikli, for those of you (and us) who didn't know, is a highly regarded designer of eyeglasses. LG, as we're all aware, is a 3D-peddling purveyor of HDTVs. Marry the two together and the offspring is a rather fetching set of 3D goggles, built out of "select metals," and featuring a co-patented nose bridge and perfect weight balancing for the utmost in user comfort. LG promises to let us play around with the new eyewear at CES next month, which we'll be more than happy to do -- telling you about the eventual price tag, on the other hand, probably won't be such a pleasant experience. More imagery of the specs and the full press release follow after the break.
Syte Shirt redesigns iPad-toting version, introduces smartphone edition
Look, it's not embarrassing. We too are waltzing around the dinner table, iPad Syte Shirt on, with a slideshow of pilgrims and Tofurkys to really "showcase our spirit." But what about the jubilant among us that aren't about to part ways with their hard-earned clams in order to pick up an iPad? Enter the Smartphone Syte Shirt. Like the original, this all-black shirt is handmade in San Diego, but very much unlike the original, this one's designed to hold your iPhone, Droid Incredible or whatever handset you so happen to own. Better still, there's a zippered pouch at the top to prevent theft, and both landscape and portrait orientations are duly supported. The screen protector still accepts finger touches, and it's both dust and water resistant -- you know, in case your jealous bandmates decide to douse you when you refuse to remove it before heading out on stage. Hit the source link to order yours for $39.95. Seriously, do it. No one's watching.
BlackBerry Style officially launches October 31st for $99 on Sprint
We've been catching glimpses of the BlackBerry Style for so long we're glad to see it finally hit the big time: reality. Yes, Sprint and RIM have just made the 9670 QWERTY flip phone official, so if you've been dying to grab one, well you're going to get your chance. This bad boy runs the all new BlackBerry OS6, boasts a 5 megapixel cam, and two high resolution displays (one external, one internal). Other than that. you'll find built-in GPS and WiFi, and a microsSDHC slot for up to 32GB of storage. You'll be able to preorder starting tomorrow with a ship date of October 31st, and it'll run you $99 on contract after a mail-in rebate. Full press release is below.
BlackBerry Style (or Oxford?) launching on Sprint October 31?
The so-called BlackBerry Style got kind of lost in all the recent PlayBook noise, but fear not, clamshell lovers -- it seems the phone is still very much on track. Some literature leaked this week by way of BGR suggests that it'll be called "Oxford" at retail, and that a gray version will be launching at the tail end of this month -- October 31, to be exact -- for $99.99 on contract after rebates and discounts, while a purple version will follow on soon thereafter. For what it's worth, we've been hearing from other sources recently that the name of this thing is still Style, not Oxford, but it's more than possible that they've made a last-minute branding decision internally. We prefer Style, we think... but regardless of what it's called, we'd wager the wild QWERTY clam format is going to make for some pretty polarizing water cooler chat. [Thanks, Delon]
Lost Pages of Taborea: Armor customizing and coloring
Quite frankly, I don't know why I waited so long to do an article about customizing and coloring armor in Runes of Magic. Indeed, it's one of my absolute favorite aspects of RoM. But thanks to Rubi's coverage of Guild Wars 2 and the recent ArenaNet posts, I've been spurred on to do this article. The GW2 news of late is, of course, all about how ArenaNet plans on implementing armor customization through the use of Transmutation stones you will be able to buy from a cash shop. After reading over Rubi's coverage, I felt that GW2 was heading in a very similar direction to the one taken by RoM. I find this to be very cool! So for anyone who didn't know this flexible system was in the game or that it was so flexible, I present a guide on customizing your RoM character any way you see fit. I've also included a short video tutorial to help illustrate how customizing works.
BlackBerry Style 9670 spotted in Sprint's database, yet another YouTube clip
Any lingering doubts about this thing's existence? Scatter 'em. The BlackBerry Style 9670 has just shown up in what appears to be a Sprint database leak, and given that it just received FCC approval earlier in the month, we'd say this is all lining up nicely for a near-term release on one of America's most well-known CDMA carriers. As the story goes, these database slips usually happen just weeks before the official public release of a phone, and we're guessing that both RIM and Sprint would love to have this out and about before the holidays. Head on past the break for yet another look -- assuming you need one, that is.
Tokyoflash reaches new heights of unreadability with latest concept watch
Technically speaking, the maze-like array of diagonals you see above is actually showing you the time. But, as is Tokyoflash's wont, the point here isn't so much about time itself as it is about the journey of figuring it out. Well trained ninjas might be able to decouple the numbers from their unhelpfully similar background, but for the rest of us this "Optical Illusion" LED watch will be an enigma of random black lines wrapped inside a lime green mystery. Thankfully, it does come with a button to clear away the mists of confusion if you ever need to, you know, actually tell the time. The watch remains a concept for now, but if enough people vote in favor of its unnecessarily convoluted design, Tokyoflash might just go ahead and build a few. So why not jump off the fence and make your voice heard in the source below?
BlackBerry Style 9670's UI demoed in leaked official videos
RIM has yet to officially announce the upcoming Style 9670 flip, but the leakfest continues today with a handful of new videos -- professionally-produced ones this time -- that show off key features of the UI and how to use them. Unlike the Torch, the Style lacks a touchscreen -- it just wouldn't be prudent in a clamshell form factor -- which means we're seeing just what it's like to navigate the finer points of BlackBerry 6's user interface with an optical pad (and secondary display) alone on a larger, portrait-oriented display. We're hopeful that RIM's new platform has a certain... well, a certain "something" on non-touchscreen devices that the Torch lacks, but time will tell, we suppose. Follow the break for the full video series.
Canon's Wonder Camera, and other future concepts that tease us from behind glass
Canon had a lot to show for itself at its annual expo today, from the EOS 60D to the (working!) Multipurpose 4K concept, but the best goodies are of course the ones just a few steps outside of today's technological limits. One display in particular that caught our eye was the 2010 Image Creation set, featuring the bold Wonder Camera Concept from July. Nothing functional here, not even in sleight-of-hand video render form, but the models are quite the lookers. Joining the "SLR Style Concept" (as it was being called here, according to the accompanying placard) were the 3D Cam, Image Palette (display), Image Navi Cam (point and shoot), and MR HMD (helmet) -- all aesthetically Kubrick in nature. Not that we mind, of course; we find it best to go ahead and accept our future for the glossy white design motif that it'll assuredly become. Elsewhere, we happened upon the purported "world's largest CMOS sensor" -- not that we'd argue with what we saw -- and the more compact 120 megapixel CMOS, along with (separately) its panoramic camera prototype body. You can live vicariously through us in the photos below. %Gallery-101173%
iPhone body armor case looks cool
Speaking of iPhone cases that look ... different, here's an interesting metal case for everybody's favorite smartphone. A company called Ltd Tools has created a metal, cage-style case that adds a flip cover to the phone and gives it a pretty distinctive look. I don't think it will be for everybody; it actually makes the iPhone 4 look kind of like a big RAZR, but I like it. What it lacks in actual protection, it makes up for in some interesting functionality, which includes unimpeded access to the charging port and a cool little rubber band that can hold business or credit cards. There is a warning that a metal case can "affect reception," but it can't be that much worse than what you're getting already. And OK, sure, the case is US$95, which is a bit much to pay for a case like this (although it does look pretty well-machined). But I just like the look of it anyway. A great many cases tend to make the phone look like a colored lump, so it's neat to see a case that adds a little something to the iPhone's design. [via iPhone Savior]
Devon Works Tread 1 belt-driven, bulletproof wristwatch tested, proven to actually tell time (video)
The last time we saw the Devon Works Tread 1 wristwatch it existed only in digital form, rendered and swirling about with respect neither mass nor volume. Now it has come to reside in the physical plane, and aBlogtoRead has managed to get one of its belt-driven manifestations to test out. Naturally it's a little less pristine looking than the computer-generated version and, pictured next to a fleshy hand, we can now see just how big the thing is -- its crown actually large enough to wear on your head. For $15k you at least know you're getting your money's worth when it comes to raw materials, but whether you agree that this is a "novel timepiece that will make a satisfying addition to any collector's treasure trove" depends on your sense of taste, depth of pockets, and desire to make your forearms look meek and feeble.
iPad-toting Syte Shirt redefines 'multitasking'
Disgusted with Apple's refusal to bestow honest-to-goodness backgrounding to the iPad, even though the (presumably) weaker iPhone 4 has been doing it for weeks? You aren't alone. Syte Shirt, a new startup with a vision to change the world in a way you've never even dreamed of, has just announced its first product: the iPad-toting shirt that you're undoubtedly gawking at above. This pre-shrunk heavyweight cotton tee sports a slit on the inside for sliding your tablet into, and there's a window on the front that enables the wearer (or anyone else, for that matter) to fully interact with the tablet without you having to disrobe. Imagine that! Heck, there are even ports for accessing the dock connector and the 3.5mm headphone jack, which certainly helps to justify the otherwise unconscionable $49.95 to $54.95 price tag. Right? Right? %Gallery-98005%
