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Groupon offers KIRF iPad for $248, proves it's the best deals site in the universe
Why does one thumb its nose at a $6 billion offer from Google? 'Cause you can make a mighty fine sum from hawking Android-equipped KIRF iPads, apparently.
Star Trek PADD official app creates iPad fact from science fiction
As soon as the iPad came out, Star Trek: The Next Generation fans were comparing it to PADD, the touchscreen device used in the famous sci-fi television series. But now those comparisons have come to life: an official version of the Star Trek PADD is now available in the App Store as a full app. Not only does it recreate the famous LCARS graphic interface from the series, but it's chock full of official Star Trek information from the database, letting you know about all of the series' ships, characters, and timelines. You can follow links to browse through the content, read up-to-date information from the official Facebook and Twitter accounts, and even run "diagnostic modes" on the USS Enterprise (the NCC-1701-D, of course). Very sweet app for Star Trek fans, available in the App Store right now for US $4.99. Just try not to cause any intergalactic incidents while messing around in the ship's databases -- Starfleet doesn't take kindly to anyone breaking the Prime Directive, accidentally or otherwise. [via Los Angeles Times]
Joseph Holmes photographs punctilious texters in NYC, encourages you to have a peek
Have you ever texted? Have you ever been photographed while texting? Were you in the vicinity of New York City, USA? If so, you may be one of the crowd in Joseph Holmes' newest art composition, as the self-proclaimed professional now has a growing library of individuals who seem to be shockingly focused on whatever they're texting. The gallery is quite simply called "Texters," and he shot 'em over a two month period and whittled that group down to just 26 amazing, wondrous panels of pixels. Hit the source to see 'em all, and yes, it's cool be inspired.
Google bids pi for Nortel's wireless patent stash, brings comedy to places you never thought possible
Enabling surfers to play Pac-Man instead of actually initiating the search they showed up to complete? Taking a stroll through an episode of Burn Notice? Throwing internet on a magical Indian bus? All relatively normal things from one Google, Inc., but it seems that Larry Page's deadpan demeanor is actually covering up quite the character. During the outfit's recent attempt to outbid the likes of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony for a sliver of Nortel's coveted wireless patent portfolio, Reuters is reporting that Google's plays were... less than conventional. Reportedly, the company bid $1,902,160,540 and $2,614,972,128, better known by mathematicians as Brun's constant and Meissel-Mertens constant, respectively. Funnier still, Google decided to offer $3.14159 billion (you know, pi) when the bidding reached $3 billion. One of the unnamed sources summed up the bizarreness quite well: "Google was bidding with numbers that were not even numbers. It became clear that they were bidding with the distance between the earth and the sun. One was the sum of a famous mathematical constant, and then when it got to $3 billion, they bid pi. Either they were supremely confident or they were bored." Or, perhaps they're just supremely awesome?
Best Buy sucks at product recognition: Wireless Keyboard for TouchPad, iPad sold separately
Oh, really Best Buy --you don't say? Too bad... that $69.99 price tag would be so much easier to swallow if you threw in the whole kit and kaboodle. [Thanks, Kevin]
The Elliptical Machine Office Desk: putting the 'commute' back in 'telecommuting'
Quite frankly, you've got it just a bit too easy. You rise 98 seconds before you're scheduled to clock in, you mash a power button, and suddenly, you're at work. PJs still caked to your legs, mouth still steaming from a lack of brushing. You're a telecommuter, and you're the envy of the working world. In fact, it'd be just stellar if you'd do us all a solid and add a sliver of complexity to your workday -- you know, like swapping out your OfficeMax special for an elliptical machine. And maybe, just maybe, you can convert your laptop into one that's pedal-powered, forcing you to keep churning for fear of dropping from the virtual office. And no, you can't ask for donations to cover the $8,000 price tag -- your fuel savings from last week alone should just about cover it. Harrumph.
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]
Super Mario gets a Portal gun, you monster (video)
Before Portal 2 there was Portal, and before Portal there was Super Mario Bros. Bring these together and you get a mushroom-chomping Italian plumber ruling the 2D world -- outside the cold confines of Aperture Science -- with the infamous Portal gun. The next logical step? Turn this into a first-person game. Go on, Reggie, make it happen.
Want a PlayBook that runs Android 3.0? You can get one at MacMall!
Hurry and order yours today -- before they run out of magic dust. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
TUAW's Daily App: NBA JAM
Yes, the classic NBA JAM title has been released by EA for iOS, and it's got everything you remember from the old console version: the crazy announcers, the quick games and even some kooky special characters. The iPhone version was released a little while ago for US$4.99, but this week EA has added a free version to try out as well as an iPad version for $9.99. The UI is a little clunky with virtual buttons just laid over the screen in the iPhone version, but it works well enough, and the graphics look as good as the modern version on the Wii. There is local multiplayer via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but there's no Game Center integration or online play, which is too bad. Still, it's a quality port of the recent console title, and as I said, all of the fun stuff you remember about the old game, including the over-the-top dunks and announcer Tim Kitzrow. If you missed out on this one when it came to consoles, it's probably worth picking up for iOS.
UPenn's PhillieBot throws out first pitch, Skynet calls for a reliever (video)
We'll hand it to the University of Pennsylvania -- mixing robotics and sport definitely isn't easy. But in the heart of Citizens Bank Park today, the so-called PhillieBot came close to generating a universal chorus of boos after it failed to successfully toss a first pitch to the Phanatic. We're guessing it'll be wound up a bit more before trying again; after all, it's not like Philly needs another reason to pelt an otherwise lovable character with vitriol (or snowballs).
eMac becomes cat bed
This eMac-turned-cat bed is the product of a friend of mine here in LA named Colin Hughes. A little while back, he got a new computer to replace his old (though still working) eMac, and instead of junking it, he decided to clean out the hardware and turn the case into a makeshift kitty pad. He says it took about an hour, mostly because the inside of the case was full of dust, but after transferring all of his files off, cleaning it out and taking a screwdriver to the actual monitor, the case was ready for its feline tenants. The cat above is named Little Mama, and she shares the setup with Colin's other cat, Elvis. Cute stuff -- you can see a few more shots of the conversion in the gallery below. %Gallery-121420%
Screen Grabs: iPhone messaging app spotted on a RAZR in Traffic Light
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com. The iPhone was indeed the handset to supplant the well-loved RAZR as America's favorite, but we're not so sure its messaging interface ever made it onto Motorola's slim clamshell. That hasn't stopped Fox's Traffic Light from rewriting history, however, as last night's episode featured a RAZR receiving a "smiley-faced emoticon" text message encased in an all-too-familiar grey speech bubble. Catch this crazy new invention on video after the break. [Thanks, OMGitsShan]
Israeli parody details the rise and fall of Apple's iBoy, humanity as a whole (video)
For those unaware, Eretz Nehederet is effectively the Israeli equivalent to The Onion, and on the 1st of April, they covered the hardest-hitting piece of Apple news to cross their news desk in quite some time. That news, friends, is the iBoy. Available in a variety of skin tones, religious beliefs and languages, this iPad-adorned human is both the best and worst thing to happen to mankind... well, ever. There's no word on when it'll be on sale, but it's fairly clear that "divorce" and "alcohol" are about to take a backseat to this guy when studying factors that rip families to shreds. Click and weep as you see fit. [Thanks, Lior G.]
Visualized: jousting on a Segway
Remember the olden days? When honor and valor were the only things that mattered and vast metallic armor suits were less of a laughing matter and more of a practical necessity? Neither do we, but that doesn't stop us from enjoying a good video gaming romp through such settings when we have the time for it. We don't know that we'd necessarily care to reenact medieval battle scenes physically, but that's exactly what a witty new marketing campaign for Washington's Lottery has done. It asks simply "what have you and your friends always wanted to do" and then answers its own query with the nutty answer of Segway jousting. See the resulting video, which was partially shot in Phantom slow-mo, after the break.
Colbert has an iPad 2, already wants the iPad 3
Stephen Colbert can finally eat and sleep apparently -- he was able to pick up his own iPad 2. And as you can see in the video below, he's thrilled with it. Sure, it's mostly just because it's new (it doesn't really do much his old tablet doesn't do), but his excitement is essentially boundless. Boundless -- until it hits a boundary. We agree with Stephen: the new iPad 2 sure is great. But, um, won't the iPad 3 be greater?
Onion releases iPad app, The Onion Tablet
It's not an April Fool's joke -- the Onion really has released an iPad app, called The Onion Tablet. The company has had a few apps out already on the iPhone (and recently combined them into one), but this is the first time the hilarious fake news organization has appeared on the iPad. It's a pretty straightforward affair, allowing you to read and browse the latest and greatest from the humor newspaper of record, with a nice clean interface, and all of the content from the website available right there in iPad app form. The only complaint so far seems to be the ads -- there's one right in your face when the app opens up that sticks around for what's said to be longer than it should. But that's not too big a deal, considering the app is completely free anyway. If you're a frequent Onion reader, it's probably one you'll want to pick up for your iPad or iPad 2.
Apple Fools: Gameloft's Pet Pal will let you control your pet via iPhone
Wow, this is incredible! iOS developer Gameloft is releasing a new app called Pet Pal, which uses sound wave technology to actually control your pets via the iPhone! The sound frequencies emitted from the iPhone activate certain centers of a cat or dog's brain, harmlessly commanding it to bend to your will. We've seen some pretty amazing things from the iPhone before, but this truly is magical and revolutionary. Think of the medical applications! This is the future we're seeing here, people, live in action! What's that? Friday is April 1st, you say? Oh right. Never mind then. If you want, you can watch the video, which features some cute pets and a monkey, after the break.
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.
The Brothers Mario return in GTA IV machinima 'Kong Country'
Machinima stars The Brothers Mario are back, and they've brought a new character with them: "Don Keykong," a mob boss who's bananas for vengeance. Along with all of the other cameos, there's even a music video for the gangsta anthem featured in the trailer. Being a plumber has never been so badass.
