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Wedding proposed via engraved iPad 2
We think this might be cheating a little bit, but we'll let you decide: 9to5Mac reader Jordan C. wrote in to say that he's proposed to his girlfriend courtesy of a custom-engraved iPad. He ordered one with "Will you marry me?" engraved on it, and when it showed up last Monday, he carted his girlfriend out (in the California rain we had last week, no less) to the Redwood Forests and knelt down to propose to her with Apple's magical device underneath "the largest tree in the world." Very cute story, and congrats to the happy couple. But Jordan's now-fiance Jessica was reportedly a little more excited for the tablet than the nuptials; she followed up her "yes" with a "Now give me my iPad!" Oh, Jordan. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, buddy. Above is a picture of the bride to be, with her true love presumably standing just off camera. But then again, she sure does seem to love that iPad, right?
Wham-O's Frisbee Forever iOS app promises to change backyard fun... forever
If there's one thing the iPhone needs -- and we mean exactly one thing -- it's clearly a Frisbee app. Er, Frisbee® app. Not a legitimate Gmail app. Not a new notification system. A Frisbee® app. As the story goes, Wham-O has linked hands with Kiloo in order to develop the Frisbee Forever app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, which is said to offer avid iOS gamers "unique challenges and obstacles in a rich complete 3D environment." What kind of challenges, you say? We're hearing that you'll be able to toss a variety of Frisbee models across 100 levels of lush, colorful worlds, but beyond that, most everything else is shrouded in mystery. All will be revealed in May, but till then, we'd encourage you to step outside and actually throw a Frisbee. We hear dogs are super into fetching them, too.
Blame the 2010 elections for your parents being on Facebook, Twitter
Most of the so-called "young folks" would argue that Facebook lost its innocence the day that parents were invited to play along, but there's no question that politicians would disagree vehemently. A recent study published by the number crunchers at Pew Internet found that over half (54 percent, if we're being precise) of adults "used the internet for political purposes in the last cycle, far surpassing the 2006 midterm contest." A total of 58 percent hopped online for political news, while one in five (22 percent) used Twitter or a social networking site for "political purposes" in 2010. Taken as a whole, a staggering 73 percent of online adults took part in at least one of these activities in 2010, and judging by the power of these networks in the recent Middle Eastern / African uprisings, we get the impression that figures will only be rising in elections to come. Too bad you can't "Like" a politician to give them your vote -- haven't these polling places realized what century we're in?
Lost Pages of Taborea: What just happened?
There are always plenty of memories to make and share with others, as MMOs tend to be never-ending playgrounds for us to romp around in. And after recalling major events for Runes of Magic's second birthday, I've been stuck in fond-memory mode. Two years of playing RoM is a lot of time to build up memories, too. I've gone through many a server, guild and character since I started, and I've both made memories with friends and remembered events the game itself created. Sometimes a developer forgets to turn off a light switch, a new bug appears, or a new patch brings unintended changes. I remember a handful of times some pretty interesting things have happened. Mysterious statues popping up, bosses appearing in houses, and other anomalies await after the break.
ToneCheck's revised email plug-in scans your messages for aggressive, brash overtones
Last year, Lymbix released this so-so software that checked over your typed email messages for signs of "unintended tone." Scumbag. You know, short and explicit phrases that could easily tick somebody off. Jerk. Now, however, they've got a revised version that plays nice with Microsoft's Outlook, and rather than flooding one's screen with idiotic pop-ups that further enhance one's anger, there's a subtle bar that spans 1 to 5 in order to show a user just how hot and bothered the message that they're about to send really is. Cheapskate. Speaking of, it's actually a free download for now, so if you've been sending the wrong message time and time again, you might want to stop making a fool of yourself and hit the source link. Don't even bother thanking us, punk. Ugh.
National Day of Unplugging 2011 starts now, but only after you tweet about it
Darren Murph was scheduled to write about the National Day of Unplugging 2011, which spans from sundown on March 4th to sundown on March 5th. Unfortunately, this post was delegated to him too late in the evening. He had already "unplugged." You could bother to search Facebook and Twitter to see his last snippet of digital communication for the day, but then you'd be laughing in the face of this marvelous idea. Your call. You know who you have to answer to in the end.
Conan O'Brien produces a more honest iPad 2 promotional video
Feeling a little underwhelmed by this week's iPad 2 launch? This promotional video recently unearthed by Conan O'Brien goes some distance in explaining why this might be... and why you're probably not alone. But just in case you did buy into the hype, don't feel bad: it's easy to get suckered by a smooth talker with "a non-specific ethnic accent." See for yourself after the break.
Snoop Dogggg goes 4G to celebrate launch of Samsung Galaxy Indulge, was probably paid more than 4Gs to do it
You laugh, but D-O-Quadruple-G does have a certain ring to it. In fact, it sounds a little like the ringing of Samsung's Galaxy Indulge, which is tucked inside the pocket of MetroPCS' CEO right about now. You see, the aforesaid carrier has presumably paid Snoop Dogg (or Snoop Dogggg, as he'll be known until he scurries outside of a 4G coverage area) to change his name in order to celebrate the commercial launch of the world's first LTE Android smartphone. The Froyo-based phone is just barely beating out LG's Revolution and HTC's Thunderbolt, and you can bet that MetroPCS is doing everything it can to let the world know about it. Taking things one step further too far, Snoop's also appearing in a new series dubbed "The G-Connection," and you can peek the first episode just after the brizzle. For rizzle, homedizzle. %Gallery-117476%
Kiss Controller lets you play a bowling game with your tongue... while it's in someone else's mouth (video)
Oh, this isn't weird at all! The Kissing Controller, an experimental project by one Hye Yeon Nam, is designed so that players of a bowling game can impart power and direction to their spherical projectile by performing the timeless act of smooching one another. A customized headset is required for one of the participants, acting as the input receiver, while the other straps a magnet to his or her tongue and goes to town with some literal full motion controls. Thrust is added to the on-screen ball in accordance with how vigorously you move your tongue around, something we're sure your partner will appreciate. Video after the break.
Real-life Mario Kart prankster returns to the track
French prankster Rémi Gaillard is back to play some more real-life Mario Kart, and he's just as fearless as ever, throwing bananas and turtle shells at cars while zipping around dressed up like the world's favorite plumber. The sound effects really sell this one -- next time you get pulled over by a cop, try Mario's "wooahhohhohhoohhh" on for size. It fits perfectly. After all, as the quote at the end of the video says, "by doing anything, you can become anybody." Why not Mario? Plus, you get to see why Mario gets those bananas from crates as he goes by, and not straight from the grocery store. Check the whole video after the break.
Screen Grabs: Tango supplants FaceTime for Big Bang Theory videocall
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. It may not share the same level of name recognition as FaceTime (or heck, even Fring), but Tango's multi-platform videocalling app is still a very real alternative. So real, in fact, that it was just used in an episode of The Big Bang Theory as a highly fictional (and severely busted) character makes an outlandish videocall to a mythical group of friends. Or was it all just a dream? Hop on down to the source link (and fast-forward to the 13th minute) to find out. [Thanks, Sowmitra] %Gallery-115778%
PC World placement inadvertently suggests you get a Mac
Credit: FAILblog It's Friday, and a little levity seems appropriate: the FAILblog has posted an image of a newsstand where the cover of PC World, which touts the "Best upgrades for your buck," clearly points to Macworld (and it's apparent this picture was taken some years ago, as the upgrade in question is to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard). Obviously unintentional, at least on PC World's part (I can't speak for the newsstand owner), but a good chuckle nonetheless. FAILblog lists it as a "win," so clearly they're biased in the same way I am. With the apps included in a Mac OS X distribution, combined with the quality of the hardware and great service agreements, Macs actually are a great "upgrade for your buck." Not to mention, they're awesome.
The Soapbox: A sense of humor is your number one weapon
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. It's one of my ongoing theories that MMOs severely tempt (if not outright encourage) us to engage in the less savory aspects of our character. I'm sometimes worried that these games do shape our personalities, at least while we're playing, to bring out the worst in us. I'm not talking about addiction or anything like that, but rather about things as simple as fostering greediness, selfishness, envy and bullying. From games that are supposed to be massively social, I often get the impression that the message they're preaching is to look out for yourself and get ahead of the (kill ten) rat race any way possible. At least in my own game sessions, I've seen signs of this happening. I've kept silent when guildies ask for help, because I want to get this quest done for myself. I've fallen into the stressful grind of endgame gear to the point of becoming completely fixated on it to the exclusion of all else. Once or twice I've written an angry diatribe on forums, attempting to use the sheer weight of my words to club the opposition into submission. And, yes, I've lost my cool with party members whom I judged as not pulling their weight, and I've chewed them out. It's usually at times like these when someone or something kicks in to remind me that I have gotten a little too serious and need to lighten up. It's not that MMOs are "just" games but that these are games, and as such, shouldn't we be having more fun and laughing more often than we do now? This is why, over the years, I've developed a personal philosophy of gaming that revolves around three simple concepts: if it's not fun, don't do it; help others when the opportunity arises; and always bring a sense of humor to the playing field. Today I'd like to explore that last one.
Mark Zuckerberg meets the fake Mark Zuckerbergs on Saturday Night Live (video)
Mark Zuckerberg, the man who invented poking and the subject of a major motion picture in 2010 just met his nemeses on the set of Saturday Night Live. No, not the Winklevoss twins, we're talking Jesse Eisenberg, the man nominated for an Academy Award after playing Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Toss in Andy Samberg and we've got a comically uncomfortable situation from Web 2.0's very personification of awkward. All hail the Zuck Bergs!
Fred Armisen gets caught in a technology loop, discovers MiND-Fi
Sometimes our modern life can feel overwhelming. Sometimes it can feel like it's all too much -- like everything is happening at once, and you've got no control over anything. Sometimes, the gadgets we buy to make our lives simpler end up making them a lot more complicated. We suspect that similar sentiments drove the brains behind the new IFC sketch comedy show Portlandia (Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein) to come up with the bizarre, hilarious video in this post. Just a word of warning -- once you see it, you can never un-see it. Watch at your own risk... after the break.
Android turns average man into El Vendor! (video)
You might not know Greg Bell by name but you've certainly been affected by his work. The man who directed Logitech's amusingly creepy Lonely TV viral ads has returned with a series of videos meant to promote Android. The premise is, of course, absurd: middle manager, trapped beneath a fallen vending machine, continues to work because his Android powered smartphone allows him to be productive even without the full use of his hands. In a bit of video magic, the handset with a 32-day battery is the Nexus S running Gingerbread... but only when shot from the front. Otherwise it's a Nexus One when shot from the back, presumably because this was filmed before the S' launch. Regardless, the result is a series of clever videos encapsulating an everyman's transformation into nerd superhero, El Vendor -- we dare you to not click all five.
Freddie Mercury spotted in EVE Online
EVE Online's new character creator went live yesterday in a mammoth 1.2 Gb patch. While some players (myself included) are still waiting for the patch to finish downloading, it's already clear that the new characters are a big hit with the EVE community. Immediately following the Incursion expansion's final release yesterday, the forums exploded with topics full of people trying out the new avatar customisation process -- with hilarious results. Players have even begun faithfully re-creating real-world celebrities, from Freddie Mercury and the Village People to the cast of Star Trek. On the other side of the fence, some visually impressive, realistic and even emotive avatars have been produced. Before the new character creator went live, people had some reservations about it. While the new characters were expected to look very realistic, some players prefer to pull funny faces and create hilarious avatars that better suit their clownish approach to the game. Other players expressed concerns that there might not be enough variety, and that all the members of one bloodline would look almost identical. While the choice of clothing is likely to remain limited until Incarna, it seems that all other fears have been squarely put to rest as players continue to make some fantastic and often hilarious avatars.
Man discovers glasses-free 3D tech in the blink of an eye (video)
Who's got two thumbs and needs glasses to see 3D? Not this guy! Francois Vogel's figured out a way to remove those pesky spectacles from the equation, and he's ready to revolutionize the stereoscopic industry forever. Sure, you'll need a monitor with a 120Hz refresh rate, but that's a prerequisite these days anyhow, and the rest is sweet, sticky gravy dished directly to your eyeballs. Get a sneak peek at the game-changing tech in the video above, and keep an eye out for unicorns (we're sure they're around here somewhere). You'll never look at 3D the same way again, we promise. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
WVIL's unbelievable 31 megapixel cameraphone is unbelievably fake, attempts pathetic viral campaign (update)
Honestly, we never thought people could get this high and drunk in Vegas, but the guys from WVIL were really pushing it. Their crime? A blatantly staged viral campaign for an "unbelievable" smartphone that sports a 31 megapixel CMOS full frame sensor. Oh, and it has an interchangeable lens, too, with which you can use the main body as a wireless viewfinder (like the Samsung SH100 paired up with an Android phone). Nice concept, WVIL, just too bad your mom called to disown you at CES. Video after the break. Update: The Artefact Group, a Seattle design firm, just emailed to inform us that the idea is their own -- see the whole concept at our more coverage link below. %Gallery-113898%
Man eats iPhone 4 at New Year's Eve celebration
We admit, we tricked you a bit with that headline -- India's Krishna Kalyan actually ate a cake for New Year's Eve, which is not nearly as extraordinary (or painful) as actually chowing down on a Retina Display and an A4 processor. But it was a cake that looked remarkably like an iPhone 4 -- as you can see to the right, the screen is very detailed, with fully-rendered icons (and even some push notifications waiting to be read as well). Sure, the shape is a little more cake-like than iPhone-like, but I like the tasty little home button and the frosting dock connector down below. The only thing missing? Get those icons in some folders, man! You've just got them hanging out all over the place. And while we're at it, does anyone really keep their Photos or iTunes Store apps on the front home screen any more? We've all pushed those off of the first page for more useful apps, right? At any rate, excellent cake. Happy New Year to one and all -- hope you all had a good and safe one no matter what you were doing. Now back to work!
