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BBC comedians ridicule tech naming schemes, make us laugh along the way (video)
They say all good comedy has a modicum of truth to it, and there's no denying that the jargon that's built up around technology is littered with opportunity for mockery, fun-poking, and general satire. Leave it to two old pros from the UK, then, Harry Enfield and Ronnie Corbett, to summarily dispatch Apple, BlackBerry, Orange, Microsoft and everyone in between in one of the better tech-related sketches we've seen. See them do their thing after the break, but be warned: the video contains (a lot) more than your recommended daily allowance of fruit puns. [Thanks, Thanasis]
Verizon sucks at Photoshop: confuses the Droid X for an iPhone
Man, Motorola's not going to be pleased about this! The Droid X is justifiably one of Verizon's marquee devices for this holiday season and takes pride of place on the carrier's Cyber Monday offers page, but wait... why does its screen display the iPhone version of Google Maps? Oops! [Thanks, Chris]
Pop-up MicroLite turns your janky remote into a well-lit, even jankier remote (video)
"I think everyone in the known world will want them!" That's a potent, soul-stirring quite from Honolulu's own Becky Gray, and her emotions tend to mimic our own. We mean, who wouldn't want a pop-up MicroLite dongle affixed to the bottom of their remote? For a limited time of indefinite nature, free-spending consumers can actually get not one, not two, but three of these miracle workers for the tidy sum of just $19.99*, enabling them to light up a full trio of cut-rate remotes. Better still, you can use two of 'em to illuminate the keyboard of your shiny new 13-inch MacBook Air -- you know, because Apple decided this solution was better than its own integrated one. There's an unrealistic video demonstration embedded just past the break, and it's just a Billy Mays (rest his soul) short of awesomeness. Order now! *Along with a likely laughable shipping and processing fee, of course.
T-Pain tells Toshiba 'it ain't hardcore unless its hexacore' (video)
Judging by its most recent sales numbers, Toshiba's doing pretty well for itself in the US market, but you and we both know there are always more demographics waiting to be tapped up. Such as the hardcore hexacore lovers or those whose megagigabytes are terrorizing their... sorry, T-Pain, prosation isn't even a word. Anyway, it's a video, it's funny, and it's after the break.
Live action role-playing in the world of Minecraft
Oh hi there. The person hosting the video after the break is Gary Bigham, professional Live Action Role Player. He says that he's "cashing in" by creating a Minecraft LARPing video, but you'll be the one cashing in -- fistfuls and fistfuls of the currency known as laughter. How do you roleplay as a Minecraft character, you may ask? It's harder than it sounds -- you have to try to build a shelter in the woods, use a duct-taped stone pickaxe to find precious gems and, whatever you do, always watch your back for those jerk creepers. Honestly, we're surprised Gary finishes the game as well as he does. Guess that's why he's a pro.
Bacarobo 'stupid robot' contest is back, and it's hilarious (video)
Our love of tech, gadgets, and anything, really, with blinking lights means that while we certainly value usability and quality in our consumer electronics, there will always be a place in our hearts for the utterly useless. And we're definitely not alone here, as the popularity of the annual Bacarobo (stupid robot) contest will tell you. This year's event was held in Budapest, Hungary, and featured a number of the silliest robots you've never seen before -- all designed to get a laugh. The contest is judged in true hackneyed Gong Show-esque fashion with an applause meter, and the winner received a €2,000 ($2,700 USD) prize. And that's nothing to laugh at! But enough chatter: peep the video after the break to see for yourself.
I am 8-Bit headgear: it's always in season
We know, Halloween is so last month, but with a costume like this... who cares? Dan Liuzzi's "I am 8-Bit" headgear was crafted from insulation foam, joint compound, a cardboard box, glue, some gesso spray and acrylic paint. Even Dan himself calls the project "pretty amateur stuff," noting that it took him around two to three weeks to complete. You've got a bright future in that face, Dan -- we can just feel it. P.S. - Hit the source link for even more pictorial goodness.
The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: The highlights
It is, in so many ways, the antithesis of a modern MMORPG. It has crude stick figure drawings instead of lush 3-D graphics. It limits your daily activities to a handful of encounters. It often mocks, belittles and berates you for your stupidity. It uses meat for currency and has a character class that dabbles in pasta-based magic. It's been in open beta for the better part of a decade now. And its endgame is actually an end-of-the-game instead of an eternal raiding grind. I speak, of course, about The Kingdom of Loathing, one of the oddest online RPGs on the net -- and one of the most beloved. When I mulled over the game for this month's retrospective, I found myself really wanting to talk about KoL but a little unsure whether it truly belongs in the pantheon of accepted MMOs. At best, it's on the fringe; while you do play in a world populated by hundreds, if not thousands, of other players at any given time, it's mostly a solo exercise apart from the chat channel. However, it is a persistent world, it does hold many of the trappings of MMORPGs, and the creators have come up with clever ways for players to interact within a turn-based RPG. I'm also a huge fan, having dabbled in KoL off and on for over four years now, and I love recommending it to friends. So what the heck -- we're doing it. Kingdom of Loathing is a great success story in its own right and has a lot to teach the rest of the MMO industry about unconventional methods of structuring and presenting these games. Hit the jump and we'll run down eight highlights that separate KoL from the rest of the pack and make it a game well worth your spare time.
Microsoft executives get their own public avatars, may never age
Ever wondered what your favorite Microsoft executive would look like if transformed into an Xbox Live avatar? Wonder no more, as the aforementioned company has done the honors for you. Joey B. definitely looks like his real-world counterpart, but Steve's just looks... doctored. Why give the man forehead lines when he's still so young and vivacious? Hit the source link for lots more where these came from.
iPhone-shaped soap smells like sausage
Sure, an iPhone-shaped soap bar is fun as it is, but surely there's something else that can be added to make it even more enjoyable, no? Etsy user twoeggplants decided to answer that question with a resounding yes, and is selling an iPhone-shaped bar of soap that just happens to smell like grilled meats while you use it. I kind of wish my actual iPhone smelled like grilled sausage -- I wouldn't want the grease on it, but the scent would be fine to have around. Apparently the scent can be customized, so if you'd rather have a more traditional soap smell (like, oh I don't know, something which smells like apples), you can go with that. It's also out of stock at the moment, which is usually what happens when something cool on Etsy gets discovered by a few blogs. But just the idea of a sausage-smelling iPhone soap is pretty fun anyway.
C-3PO and R2-D2 invade consumer electronics megastore, get blown off by Roomba (video)
What happens when two of Star Wars' finest wander into a Currys & PC World Megastore? Unadulterated hilariousness, that's what. Hit play on the video below to see what happens with C-3PO asks a Roomba for directions, R2-D2 investigates a pop-up DSLR flash and the pair of 'em attempt to escape enemy fire in a related video game. It's worth the watch, we promise. [Thanks, Dave]
iPad-equipped Quatto costume for Halloween
OK, this is a little weird, and a little gross, but if you're as big a fan of Total Recall as I am, you'll love it. One of the characters in that movie, named Quatto, actually lives in the stomach of another character, and rather than recreate the creepy effect with puppets or makeup, YouTube user minimatefactory just put some high resolution video of the character on his iPad, and then he strapped it to his shirt to wear around. The effect isn't completely realistic, of course (it looks like he's got a video screen on his stomach), but it is a clever Halloween costume, and clever goes a long way after a few drinks at a Halloween party. Just stay away from bobbing for apples -- you don't want the iPad getting wet or falling into someone's candy bag to take home. [via Cult of Mac]
Medea Vodka (and its radical programmable LED bottle) now ready to party
It may not be your birthday, but it's most definitely the weekend. And if you're looking to have a "good time," there's hardly a better place to look than your local ABC store. We mean... whatever place you can find that sells Medea. Put simply, this vodka maker has decided to wrap its spirits inside of bottles that boast programmable LED displays, and while the company has been kicking the tires for a small while now, we'll have you know that these things are now available for purchase ($39.99 a pop) over the world wide web. Programming information is down there at the source link, and if you've been searching for the perfect complement to your LED rims, look no further. Man, if only Brennan Huff and Dale Doback would've had access to this while shooting their first and only music video...
Reminder: Woz on Big Bang Theory tonight
Finally! Tonight's the night! We first heard months ago that our own Steve Wozniak was coming to the nerdy sitcom Big Bang Theory, and tonight is the night that he makes his appearance. We're still not sure how or why he'll show up, but tonight's episode is about scientist Sheldon trying to put his brain into the body of a robot, so maybe he'll consult the Woz for a little computing insight. The show airs at 8pm Eastern and Pacific time, and 7pm Central, so either tune in or set your DVR to CBS to check it out. And if you do watch the show live, Woz has tweeted that he'll be chatting along with viewers on the iPad's yap.tv app, which is a free download from the App Store (and I guess creates a chat room for shows while they're airing). Should be a lot of fun -- we're looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.
Italian Tourism official not too happy with iPhone travel app
iPhone travel app What Country describes Italy as "Pizza, Mafia, Pasta and Scooters." That isn't sitting too well with Italian Tourism Minister Michela Vittoria Brambilla, who says that the app's description of her country is offensive. She is threatening legal action against the developers, Apalon of Belarus. The US$0.99 app is rated pretty highly by users on the App Store, and it's described as having "a light-hearted and funny view of the world." The Minister, for her part, says that "Italy is a beacon in the world for its history, culture and style, and as a citizen and minister, I cannot allow that our country is discredited by the use of a criminal organization as its testimonial." But Italy isn't the only country with a less-than-complimentary description. The app describes Germany as "Beer, discipline and autobahns." I can't see a lawsuit in a case like this getting too far, but the publicity probably won't hurt the app any, either.
Google Mobile's pizza ad proves its point, ad nauseam (video)
Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. If you're speaking said word while using Google Mobile on a GPS-enabled smartphone, you no longer need to specify where exactly you want the app to search. Of course, we highly doubt you'll see too many germane results while speaking it from Easter Island, but that's just one of the million examples shown in the supposedly comedic video hosted after the break. We'd commend Google on its effort, but our appreciation waned after about 22.8 seconds.
Volvo pedestrian avoidance test goes horribly, comically wrong (video)
Hey, can't fault 'em for trying! Volvo, which is widely recognized as one of the safer automakers on the planet, is apparently developing a new pedestrian avoidance system for its motorcars. The concept is pretty simple -- if your car senses a human in the way of its path, it's supposed to alert you, suggest you brake and generally help you avoid tacking a hit 'n run onto your already impressive rap sheet. As you'll so clearly see in the video embedded after the break, there's a reason the automobile industry relies on dummies for crash testing. For what it's worth, the test was successful the majority of the time, with this particular snafu blamed on improper placement of said dummy. Of course, we certainly hope no one at Volvo expects "improper placement of a human" to excuse the system once implemented in the real world...
Griffin's Woogie turns iPhone into a plush
When I was a kid, we just played with regular stuffed animals, and then Teddy Ruxpin came along and blew us all away. But kids these days, they get all kinds of cool stuff. Like look at this thing: they can stick an iPod touch in a "huggable plush accessory" called the Woogie, and run around with it to their heart's content, watching videos, playing with apps, and, I don't know, checking the weather, or whatever else it is that kids want to do on an iPod touch. I especially like Griffin's selling point on this one -- this case is a bonus for the kids, who get a piece of technology that's a little more fluffy and friendly than Apple's sleek designs. It's a bonus for parents too, as it's much harder to lose or seriously break the iPod when it's wrapped in the big mass of furry green tentacles. The $20 accessory even comes with its own app, where kids can preview Sesame Street books and, oh I don't know, check the weather or something. If I sound a little bitter, it's probably because I am: Teddy Ruxpin never ran Pocket Frogs for me. [via Super Punch]
Introducing the iPod ninja
We here at TUAW fortunately passed on reporting the obviously fake story of Steve Jobs being denied access to Japan because of ninja stars he was reportedly carrying in his luggage. But we did like this fake Apple page from the folks at Scoopertino, featuring the iPod ninja, a brand new throwing star-shaped iPod. If Steve was carrying around ninja stars (and he wasn't), maybe he was just testing a more weaponized iPod prototype. For more yuks, be sure to read on about the "death grip" issue ("If you hold iPod ninja in a certain way, you may require immediate medical care."), and I like the fact that sharing music with the ninja is easy -- just wing it across the room at whoever you want to listen in. For just $149 for the 8GB model, Jobs may have something here with this new ninja model -- his fake Japanese dismissal was not in vain! [via Cult of Mac]
No Comment: The iPhone of night clubs
We will say kudos to Red Devil -- it's a rare company that can fess up to providing crappy service. A rare company indeed. [via TDW]
