Ugly
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'Ugly' is a stunning short built on glitch-riddled simulations
Ugly is a film built on beautiful contradictions. The characters have odd, blocky proportions and stumble around like a group of drunk boxers. The town, too, is comprised of weirdly angular cars, buildings, bicycles and trash bags. There's a consistency to the art style, though, that resembles origami and the papercraft video game Tearaway. And the lighting, a stunning mixture of pastel pinks and blues, gives every frame a warm, inviting sheen. It's an unusual, attention-grabbing blend that feels both charming and unsettling at the same time.
The Daily Grind: How have you gotten outside of your gaming comfort zone lately?
I think that one of the secrets to avoiding the "routine rut" as you age is to constantly be challenging yourself to try new things and get outside of the comfortable bubble you build for yourself. As a nester who likes his routine, this is a difficult thing for me to do but I try to do it nevertheless. In 2014, I made it one of my resolutions to get outside of my comfort zone as a gamer and continually try new things instead of going down the same-old paths as I always do. So I'm trying new classes. I'm playing ugly characters. I am giving crafting, PvP, and even roleplaying a go. I'm diving headfirst into sandboxes and plucking away at older titles that have eluded my attention for years. Sometimes this is very frustrating and reminds me of why I like what I do, but once in a while I make a pleasant discovery and grow a bit more as a person and as a gamer. So how have you gotten outside of your gaming comfort zone lately? What have you discovered? 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!
Picking the ugliest Apple desktop computer of all time
I love ugly computers. I love hideous design mentalities from yesteryear, I love seeing how products evolve, but mostly I love seeing a particularly horrid machine and knowing that, at some point, someone thought it was a good idea to try to sell it. Today is the day you help us decide which Apple desktop computer takes home the homely crown. In coming up with the list, there weren't many rules, but the guidelines were as follows: The computer has to not only be ugly in today's eyes, but also unbecoming when it first debuted. It's easy to look at products from decades ago and declare them grotesque, but the key to making it on our ballot is that the design never really tickled the public's fancy regardless of the year. We settled on a total of six possibilities, with designs ranging from impossibly bland (even for the time), to just plain silly. Let's begin. The Pizza Box - Macintosh Centris 610 The ultimate softball, the early Centris design is the computer equivalent of a Ford Tempo. It's functional, and that's as much as it brings to the table. The pizza box design is like Apple saying "Ok, we couldn't actually cram all this stuff into a single monitor-sized box, so just sit your stupid display on top of it and pretend it's not even there, ok?" "The 610 was my college mac, and it barely fit on our dorm desks." -Victor Agreda Jr. It's thin-ish, but not impressively so, and its massive footprint wasn't making anyone's jaws drop either. It's not ugly in an "avert your eyes" way, but its completely lack of personality is enough to suck the smile off of anyone's face. If lukewarm white rice had a favorite computer, this would be it. The Mothership - Power Macintosh 7100 Following up on the massive yawn that was the Centris, Apple decided to make it a little bit taller, thinking that we'd be impressive by the sheer size of the behemoth it had produced. It gained a few dozen holes in its facia and a fancy new name, but it was the same basic vanilla pudding design that put us to sleep years earlier. "Those buttons underneath the protrusion are fun to reach, let me tell you, especially when there's a keyboard there. Working inside of it was a nightmare. That machine drew blood on me." -Dave Caolo The size of the 7100 would have been super impressive in 1965, but thirty years later it felt like Apple couldn't be bothered to churn out anything but a gigantic crappy gray box. The only interesting thing the 7100 can claim is that it got Apple sued by Carl Sagan... twice. The Coffee Pot - Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh My personal favorite, the 20th Anniversary Mac is a one-of-a-kind creation with no equal. It is, in my opinion, the single strangest computer Apple ever decided to produce, and it happens to also be one of the ugliest. The head unit of the computer looks like a PowerBook stuck open at 180 degrees, and the base unit is almost certainly a repurposed coffee pot. Its LCD display was ahead of its time for a desktop computer, but the screen is stuck in a gross speaker/CD player mashup that is difficult to look at without laughing. It was shooting for "futuristic" but ended up just being foul. The 1984 - Quadra 700 Apple took a stand against the boring, bland, brainwashed PC market in 1984 with its infamous Super Bowl ad, but by 1991 the company had designed a computer with the very aesthetic it had fought so hard to separate itself from. How do you spice up a completely nondescript gray box with zero personality whatsoever? Put a bunch of random horizontal slices in it, of course! Call them "vents" and nobody will know the difference. Oh, but stick one creepy glowing light on the front, just so everyone knows it's still plotting your demise. "The Quadra 700 is the Mom Jeans of Macs." -Victor Agreda Jr. If 1984 was a computer, it would be the Quadra 700. It's like Apple took the design of one of those creepy "futuristic" skyscrapers from a dystopian sci-fi movie and shrunk it down to fit on a desktop. The Wedding Cake - Macintosh TV Layers. The Macintosh TV has them, lot of them, and boy does that make for an awkward-looking hunk of plastic. It's actually somewhat astounding how many curves, ridges and bevels Apple was able to cram into a single piece of hardware, but it's not surprising in a good way. It has more levels than a wedding cake, and it's not nearly as edible. "It looks like it's macrocephalic." -Steve Sande Ok, so the case itself is actually lifted from the LC 500 series which used it a few months before the Mac TV launched, but that only makes it even more obnoxious. Apple used the design for its budget computer line and then said "You know what? We can't be bothered to actually create a new case for this entirely separate and standalone product line, so let's just use this thing we've already made. It doesn't look like a TV? Screw it! Paint it black. Problem solved." Gross. The Tooth Prior to the iMac -- which would be Apple's all-in-one darling -- the company launched a self-contained version of its Power Macintosh G3. It was skinny at the bottom, wide at the top, with a curvy, translucent dome that made it look like it had been sitting in the sun too long and began to melt. Oh, and it looked like a damn tooth. "That machine weighs thirty thousand pounds and there's NO good way to hold it. A God-forsaken machine." -Dave Caolo Little else needs to be said about the computer market of the time other than the iTooth came with an optional Zip drive. In a time where Apple was finally beginning to once again show a little bit of personality in its design, the iTooth was a huge step backward in aesthetics. The Vote Those are our picks, and now it's time to hear from you. If your choice for Ugliest Mac Desktop is on our list -- and I'm guessing it probably is -- feel free to cast your vote on the poll below. But if by some chance we've missed the most wretched example of Apple design, you can cast a write-in vote by leaving a comment below. %Poll-87338%
Breakfast Topic: Do any of your avatars use the ugly face?
Roleplayers, you're off the hook for this morning's Breakfast Topic for obvious reasons, but it's time for everybody else to 'fess up. Be honest here -- no saving face (har, har). Do any of your characters have the ugly face? You know the faces I mean. There's the shopworn gnome shown above (although you have to wonder if she's meant to be homely, old, or perhaps just exposed to too much radiation), and of course there's -- sorry guys, gotta be honest here -- the whole male human race. I have an ugly banker. She's a human with the ugly/old/mean face, created that way specifically because she feels ugly and mean about being a class I would love to level but don't have time for. Otherwise, my avatars all use the most serious, intent expression available for their races. I think it lends gravitas to what I'm doing in the game. Still, I don't like to be downright ugly. I'd love an older face to match the my dwarf's platinum braids, but only if it didn't look doughy and irradiated like the gnome in the header image. Are you running around with one of Azeroth's infamous ugly faces? If so, what made you choose that face? Did you regret it once you were in game and had leveled up a bit, and would you change it now if you could? Or you happy to stand apart from the googly-eyed, pillow-lipped doll faces of Azeroth?
Apple's ugliest products
Apple's new iMac is perhaps the sexiest desktop computer the company has ever made (the new iPad mini isn't too shabby either). But Apple hasn't always put out sleek and sexy products. CNNMoney has compiled a list of the six ugliest Apple products of all time. Products that made the list include the JLPGA PowerBook 170 from 1992, the all-in-one PowerMac G3 from 1998, and the eMate 300 from 1997. Check out the full list and then let us know what you think the most hideous Apple product ever was.
Verizon's Galaxy Note II purportedly poses for the camera, over-branding included
Phablet lovers on Verizon may have reason to rejoice, because the carrier's variant of the Galaxy Note II may have been captured in the flesh. The white device is aesthetically identical to the version straight from Samsung's house, save for its questionable carrier-branding. While the back of the phone sports a seemingly legit "Verizon 4G LTE" logo along with its moniker, you'll notice a rather obnoxiously-planted "Verizon" logo on its home button -- perhaps a bit too ridiculous to be the real deal. That said, it's almost certain that the Note II will officially make it to Verizon, no matter if it's dressed like the photos above or not; this purported variant lines up nicely with screenshots leaked earlier this week showing AT&T and Verizon compatibility. Now, if only we could have further confirmation -- perhaps in the way of a second visit to the FCC in the near feature or some leaky memos. [Thanks, Sean P.]
Sony and Simon Cowell intro X Factor-themed MDR-X10, celebrity headphones officially jump the shark for $300
We're still wrapping our heads around this, but Sony and Simon Cowell have officially decided to join the celebrity-endorsed headphone bandwagon. Dubbed as the MDR-X10, the X Factor-themed cans are certainly late to the party, but the vibrant red and silver color theme will ensure they get noticed -- and we're not saying that's a good thing. $300 snags you the extra-sparkly circumaural earmuffs, an even more sparkly case and a duo of flat, tangle-resistant locking cables (one of which features a "made for iDevice" inline remote and mic). Unsurprisingly, the X10 is geared toward pumping out gobs of bass, being essentially a re-badge of the likes of Sony's XB800 from its Extra Bass headphone lineup. We had the opportunity to give Cowell's new headgear a fair amount of listening time, so jump past the break where we'll judge its brief audition. %Gallery-164829% %Gallery-164825%
Canon C300 cinema camera hands-on (video)
Man, is this thing ugly. But when it comes to cinema cameras, looks are the last thing on a cinematographer's mind -- performance is where it counts, and with the Canon C300, its compact size is an asset as well. We haven't had a chance to shoot with Canon's new flagship cinema cam, but we've heard from plenty of folks who have, including director Vincent Laforet. The C300's incredibly compact size allows cinematographers to work in environments that aren't typically accessible to big rigs -- you can shoot with this camera just as easily as you can with a DSLR, hand-holding it for quick shots, with a waist-mounted Steadicam system for walk-around shoots or even mounting it on a small remote-controlled helicopter, as Laforet did during his three-day Mobius shoot. The C300 will be more familiar to cinematographers -- photojournalists may have access to the cam, thanks to its $20,000 price tag (that's a relative bargain, believe it or not), but you can't pick this up and fire away without taking some time to learn the interface. It has quite the solid feel, as you'd expect from a camera in this price range, though it's not as heavy as it looks -- you won't want to hold it in your hand for a full day of filming, but quick shots probably won't be an issue. The system is modular, so you can add and remove components as you wish -- industry standard connectors let you hook up cinema gear, which is something you could never do with the 5D Mark II. The small form factor and price tag to match should help Canon gain some ground in Hollywood, but we'll wait for a chance to shoot some footage before drawing any firm conclusions. In the meantime, we'll have to take Laforet at his word -- which you'll find just past the break.%Gallery-138415%
Mad Catz proves its soul still burns with Soul Calibur V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition
If you're a fan of arcade-style fighting games, you're surely hip to MadCatz's FightStick Tournament Edition for PS3 and Xbox 360. As it's done with Street Fighter in the past, the company is back with another variation of the arcade stick, this time officially themed for the upcoming Soul Calibur V. Launching near the game in January 2012, the Soul Calibur V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition features the usual masher-friendly eight button with joystick layout, but sports a casing endowed with visuals inspired by the game -- and an extremely unfortunate mix of hues. The crazy Cat hasn't announced a price yet, but considering these have gone for about $150 in the past, we'd imagine this one won't be too far off. Full details in the press release after the break.
Colorware spills its inks on your iPhone 4S, charges dearly for it
You didn't think the latest iPhone would be saved from Colorware's paint-dipped hands, did you? Lo and behold, the company's swatches are currently ready for application on the 4S. Similar to its iPhone 4 treatments, you'll be able to spice up your device -- and its earbuds -- with a mixture of glossy, metallic and soft-touch coatings (excluding mainly the front face, which remains stock black or white). Colorware'll gladly sell you a fresh 16 or 64GB model for a whopping $1,500 or $1,700, respectively, or you can mail yours in to get a Benetton-esque makeover for just $250.
Iced out 24-carat gold MacBook Pro proves diamonds are an Apple's best friend
Computer Choppers' latest luxury overhaul is about as Cribs-worthy a laptop as we've ever laid our hard-working eyes on. Just like this 24-carat stunner before it, the shiny setup gives something a little extra to that Apple logo, by way of Marilyn's favorite gems, but sets itself apart with the addition of a rather unexciting paisley pattern. If you're the type who flushes hundos, though, you can ditch the paisleys for your very own custom design. As is often the case with these things, the price isn't listed, but frankly, we'd hold out until they replace those black plastic chiclets with something fit for the Diamond Princess.%Gallery-136095%
Swatch Touch watch reacts to your, well, you know
Admit it, you've either owned or lusted after some sort of quirky Swatch in your lifetime. If not, its new Touch watch may be the one to finally give you a case of GAS. According to T3, the timepiece sports a convex LCD touchscreen, used for swiping or tapping through settings. Aside from displaying the time and date in an eye-caching (nearly unreadable) manner, it features an alarm, a timer, chronograph functionality and keeps track of two timezones. The Swatch Touch is said to hit the UK scene on October 1st, in a choice of six colors for £100 (roughly $157). Looks like Tokyoflash just got itself a worthy foe.
Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 review
When NVIDIA played its signature GPU number-bump card back in May, it made a point to throw around some big names. Alienware, MSI and ASUS each announced notebooks with the outfit's new GeForce GTX 560M, but one lone machine played coy, listed only as the "new Toshiba gaming laptop." Known today as the Qosmio X775-3DV78, it pairs 1.5GB GDDR5 with the aforementioned GPU, an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 1.25TB of storage split between two drives and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. So, can this heavyweight desktop-replacement hold its own in Engadget's review ring? There's only one way to find out. %Gallery-130544%
Suzuki unveils Every electric van, bead curtains sold separately
Just when you thought the electric van couldn't get any more stylish, Suzuki went out and raised the bar even higher, with its Every van -- a prototype plug-in that has state felony written all over it. Following in the wake of Mitsubishi's Minicab i-MiEV, this love bus is powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be fully juiced in about five hours, with a cruising range of up to 62 miles. It's also a good 400 pounds heavier than its gas-powered predecessor, though, as Integrity Exports explains, its cargo capacity remains fixed at around 550 pounds. For now, Suzuki is sending out just 13 vehicles to a handful of Japanese dealerships, in the hopes of testing the market before a potential widespread launch. No word yet on when that could happen, but Japan's soccer moms and airport shuttle drivers must be licking their chops.
Rotary phone mod tweets your emoticons, heavy soldering still required
File this under 'questionably useful, but darling nonetheless.' ZviZvi over at Instructables needed to update an outdated product for his Industrial Design portfolio, so he took grandpa's old rotary phone and implanted an Arduino soul. With an involved bit of slap n' solder and a WiFly shield, our enterprising Israeli modder transformed this once-luddite tech into an emoticon-tweeting wireless terminal. While the phone's LED-lit dial is only capable of outputting ten heartwarming expressions, that's still ten more than any rotary phone's ever had before. Sure, you could always use that ever-accessible laptop (or smartphone) for your Twitter needs, but where's the fun in that? Per usual, budding inventors can tickle their Emo in the source link below.
Polk enters the headphone game with sporty, generic ear-speakers
It seems the Polk folk have had their fill of iPod docks, shower speakers, and soundbars, and are hungry for a new market: headphones. The outfit aims to "change the sonic landscape" (their words) for athletes and "ardent headphone users" with their UltraFit and UltraFocus monikered ear-gear. Between the two brands, Polk is promising four brightly-colored UltraFit sports 'phones, including in-ear, on-ear, and earbud models, as well as two UltraFocus in-ear and over-ear noise canceling headphones. No word on price or release date, but Polk suggests you should be able to get your hands on its sporty headgear sometime this fall. Need more? You can find a buzzword-laden press release after the break.
Brando's Bombshell MP3 player gives the TSA something new to balk at
Nah, grenade and bomb-shaped PMPs aren't anything new, but we'll confess to never seeing anything quite like this. Hosted up at the always-unpredictable Brando website, the USB Bombshell MP3 Player acts as a portable speaker, a radio and a markedly volatile MP3 player. There's an inbuilt USB port and SD card slot for loading up your favorite Rise Against albums, and the integrated Li-ion battery pack should keep it ticking for an undisclosed amount of time. 'Course, sneaking this one past airport security could be an adventure unto itself, but those willing to live life with the pin pulled can get one headed their way for $43. [Thanks, Lawrence]
Full specs leak for BlackBerry Bold Touch, 1.2GHz Snapdragon can't overcome ugly
We understand that it's hard to take two steps rather than one, but a solid list of specifications isn't going to make the BlackBerry Bold Touch (Dakota) look any less last-decade. For whatever reason, RIM's design department seems to be stuck in an era where last-generation is the new next-generation, while it's internals team has seemingly managed to escape. For those who couldn't disagree more regarding the exterior, you'll likely be elated to know that the impending handset will boast a blisteringly fast 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, 8GB of internal storage, 768MB of RAM, a microSD expansion slot, 5 megapixel camera and a 35-key backlit keyboard. You'll also get a microscopic 2.8-inch LCD with a woeful 640 x 480 resolution, Bluetooth 2.1, a 3.5mm headphone jack, A-GPS, dual-band 802.11b/g/n WiFi and a 720p movie mode. So, one down, one to go -- time for a reread, is it RIM? Update: Seems as if the faucet's still flowing, with a full specs list popping up for the BlackBerry Torch 9860 (Monza) as well! [Thanks, bighap]
Diamond-encrusted Lunatik iPod nano watch is as superfluous as it sounds
If you're the type of person who has 99 problems, a satisfactory wristwatch being one, feast your lustful eyes on this diamond-encrusted abomination. ZShock has managed to work its magic -- $18,000 worth, to be precise -- on a Lunatik iPod nano watch, with the end result being something that we'd hardly recommend being caught dead with. Of course, those who'd disagree vehemently are going to need a magic number in order to procure one, but those who are just curious can peek the source link below for a bit of wrist-on action. Temper that jealously, though.
MetroPCS lays the TapouT smackdown on Huawei's Ascend... gently
Is it really, truly possible to market a Froyo-based smartphone -- let alone one from 2010 -- to a demographic obsessed with Cauliflower ear? MetroPCS seems to think so, and its version of the Huawei Ascend just so happens to be "sanctioned" by TapouT. Hailed as the first brand to represent MMA, TapouT's roots are plastered all about the innards of the phone, with this Special Edition handset shipping with ten virtual training center videos, a dozen static wallpapers, six live wallpapers and a host of presumably violent Android applications. You'll also get a pair of interchangeable backs, a 2GB microSD card and support for the company's contract-free $50 / $60 smartphone plans. As for the cost of the phone itself? Free after a suplex + sleeper hold combo on the dude working the desk.
