Guinness
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Will the iPhone 4S overtake the Kinect as the fastest selling consumer product device?
In 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of Guinness Breweries, was involved in a drunken argument about which of Europe's many game birds could fly the fastest. Unable to settle the argument even after consulting a well-stocked library, he commissioned a new reference book that would be filled with the sort of facts that people routinely argue about over beer -- the fastest, furthest, most expensive, largest, and so forth. Thus was Guinness World Records born, and it has continued to this day. Last year it announced that Microsoft's Kinect was the "Fastest Selling Consumer Electronics Device" ever. The Xbox 360's motion-sensing controller sold an impressive eight million units in its first 60 days on sale. However, let's look at some other numbers relating to another consumer electronics device you may have heard of -- the iPhone 4S. The 4S was announced on October 4 and went on sale on October 14. Leading up to this, we know that iPhone 3GS and 4 sales were down based on the widely circulated rumours of the 4S release. So we know that most of Apple's iPhone sales for the quarter would have happened after the 4S was released. We also know that Apple sold 37 million iPhones in total in the fourth quarter of 2011 -- in other words, from October 1 to December 31. Furthermore, survey firm Consumer Intelligence Research has produced credible analysis that suggests that 89% of those 37 million sales were of the iPhone 4S model. This is corroborated by the high average selling price of the iPhone reported in Apple's quarterly earnings report. An average of $659, above the iPhone 3GS and 4 price points, suggests that the majority of sales must have gone to the more expensive iPhone 4S models. Finally, we know that Apple sold four million iPhone 4S handsets in the first three days it was available. Oh, and that there's 78 days between the date the iPhone 4S went on sale and the end of Apple's quarterly reporting period. So to recap: the Kinect holds a genuine world record for selling eight million devices in 60 days. The iPhone 4S definitely sold four million devices in three days, and went on to sell as many as 33 million devices in 78 days. It seems extremely likely that somewhere between those two numbers Apple comfortably eclipsed Microsoft's 60-day sales record. The only fly in the ointment I can see might be Guinness World Record's definition of "consumer electronics device." I'm not sure if cellphones are included, or if they perhaps have their own category. Several media sources such as the Telegraph took care to point out that Kinect outsold the iPad and the iPhone 4, which suggests that these devices were considered as part of the same category. If so, come the publication of the next volume of the Guinness World Records book -- the 2013 edition, due towards the end of this year -- we can expect to see Apple take Microsoft's place as the record holder.
Trion attempting virtual marriage world record in RIFT
Want to help Trion set a Guinness world record? You'll need a copy of RIFT and a significant other, as the firm is aiming to make video game history by setting the record for most virtual marriages in a 24-hour period. The event will take place on February 14th at noon eastern, and there are no restrictions with regard to character race, class, or sex (opposing faction nuptials are a no-no, however). Trion is also offering up an exclusive Valentine's Day character title (Tier of Knots) to each wedded character. RIFT's marriage mechanics will go live in the 1.7 update in early February, and they include rings, a wedding planner book, and wedding instances that support up to 200 friends. More info is available on the RIFT forums. [Source: Trion press release]
Tell us your most epic MMO stunt and win a copy of the Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer's Edition!
The Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer's Edition is complete, highlighting the best scores, most jaw-dropping achievements, and every "first" you can imagine in the gaming world. On the book's home page you'll find a big yellow "Buy The Book" link, but hold on. Don't click that quite yet, even though it's a great read. If you'd love to have a copy of the book we'll save you some money and let you do a little bragging at the same time. Guinness World Records has provided us with two copies of the Gamer's Edition to share with a couple of our readers. All you have to do is enter to win one by leaving a comment here telling us about the biggest highlight of your MMO gaming time. It can be your first big achievement, your most impressive battle, or your most epic fail. Impress us, make us laugh, make us wince in sympathy. No matter what you do, do it by this Friday, January 20th, at 5:00 p.m. EST. We'll choose two winners once the deadline hits and send out the books right away. As always, read the contest rules for eligibility information, and best of luck!
Star Wars: The Old Republic wins Guinness award for most voice acting
Star Wars: The Old Republic might not have picked up too many "Game of the Year" awards in 2011 (due mostly to the fact that it was out for about 10 days when the year ended), but that hasn't stopped EA from getting some awards declared for the game anyway. First, the company declared its own title the "fastest-growing subscription MMO" around, and now it's worked with the Guinness Book of World Records to declare SW:TOR the "Largest Entertainment Voice Over Project" of all time. The 2012 Gamers' Edition of the famous world record publication has a whole guide to Star Wars video games over the years, and also heralds BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic as the best game with Jedis ever made. True, KotOR is great, and the MMO has over 200,000 lines of quest dialogue spoken by a couple hundred voice actors, so Guinness hasn't missed its mark. But it sure seems like EA's fishing a little far out in the bay for compliments on this one. How about giving us a call when the game is ready to win the Guinness award for most polished Mac release, guys?
Wave Glider robots set out to explore the seven seas, break the Guinness record
It's a bird, it's a plane, nope, it's Liquid Robotic's four Wave Gliders on a mission to snag the Guinness World Record for longest distance traveled on Earth by an automaton. Setting out today from the San Francisco Bay, the autonomous sea-faring crafts will travel far and wide to gather data about the world's oceans. Powered by the water's movement, the vessels are fuel-free, using "flapping" wings to move forward without human command. Tricked out with various solar-powered sensors, the robots can capture location, weather, temperature, wave height, barometric pressure and more throughout their travels. The 198.4 pound machines cost between $250,000 and $500,000 each depending on how many sensors are built-in -- a small price for scientists or commandeering pirates hoping to learn more about the 95 percent of ocean that has yet to be explored. Let's just hope they don't run into one of these guys.
Wicked Lasers' S3 Krypton laser is bright enough to blind astronauts (video)
If you ever plan to lead a PowerPoint presentation projected on giant white board orbiting the Earth (we'll leave the logistics of that one up to you) there's only one laser that will get the job done -- Wicked Lasers' S3 Krypton. The Guinness Record-pending laser produces about 86 million lux and can be seen from up to 85 miles away, well beyond the edge of our atmosphere. Of course, at roughly 8,000-times the brightness of the Sun, serious safety precautions are needed when operating the S3. Goggles are a must (and bundled with the handheld laser), while sensors and a microprocessor regulate current to keep the tube of aluminum from overheating in your hands. The top end model is available now for $1,000 but, if blinding astronauts isn't on your agenda, lower-powered versions can be had starting at $300. Check out the video after the break.
LG Optimus 2X scoops up Guinness World Record for being first dual-core smartphone
LG's Optimus 2X just scooped up official recognition from the Guinness World Records crew for being the very first dual-core smartphone, which sounds like a good thing, but really it kind of isn't. In its rabid pursuit of the "First!" badge, LG neglected to polish up the 2X's software, leaving a lot of early users feeling high, dry, and in need of a good custom ROM. On the other hand, that very same phone's US variant, the T-Mobile G2x that came a couple of months later, arrived with a nice and shiny stock Android build that really showed off the underlying hardware's true capabilities. So yeah, kudos on another Record, LG, but next time let's have less haste and more awesome, mmkay?
Microsoft Kinect shatters hyper-specific Guinness world record
Microsoft's Kinect is clearly gunning to grab the Guinness record for most Guinness records. Back in March, the hands-free peripheral nabbed a certificate naming it the "Fastest Selling Consumer Electronics Device," and now the Xbox Live and Kinect Sports teams are the joint owners of the record for "The Largest Online 100 Metre Sprint" -- after Microsoft managed to convince 10,539 of its closest pals to help it run in place via Xbox Live earlier this month. According to Redmond, the long-winded accomplishment is under consideration for inclusion in a Guinness volume -- though admittedly only the Gamer's Edition spinoff, itself a shoo-in for "most superfluous record book."
Free Xbox Live Gold this weekend, help out with a Guinness world record attempt
Even if you've never joined the prodigious ranks of the Xbox Live Gold subscribers, or whether you've simply allowed your honorable title to fall by the wayside, you can get a temporary pass to the Gold Zone this weekend. From today through Monday, free users will find their status upgraded, giving them access to the online multiplayer functionality usually reserved for their premium counterparts. Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch -- Microsoft is asking that folks participating in the freekend help break an extremely specific Guinness world record using Kinect Sports: "The most people running a virtual 100m dash at one time." That ... that can't be a very large number to beat, can it? Regardless, if you'd like to participate (and grab a free Avatar shirt at the same time), check out the details on Rare's blog.
Microsoft wants you to help set a Guinness world record for the biggest ever virtual sprint
Microsoft's Kinect has already claimed one Guinness world record, and the company's now asking for your help in setting another -- don't worry, though, you don't have to buy anything else. It's asking folks to take a bit of time during the free Xbox Live Gold preview weekend later this month to set a record for the "most people running a virtual 100m dash at one time." To take part, all you have to do is download a free Xbox Nations gamer pic that will automatically register you for the record attempt, and then load up the sprint mini-game in Kinect Sports and start running at the time specified below. Everyone that takes part will get the snazzy Guinness World Records avatar tee pictured above for their trouble -- actual Guinness certificates still have to be earned the hard way. The Guinness World Record attempt will take place at: • 6pm UK Saturday 23/04 • 7pm CET Saturday 23/04 • 10am PDT Saturday 23/04 • 1pm EDT Saturday 23/04
Sunswift IV, world's fastest solar-powered racer, leaves GM Sunraycer in its dust
The Sunswift IV (aka IVy) might look like a mobile dinner table, but it's actually the world's fastest solar-powered vehicle. The table-top on wheels got the official nod from the Guinness Book of World Records last week, for hitting a top speed of 88km/h (about 55 mph) -- nearly 10 km/h faster than the previous record-holder, the GM Sunraycer, which bears a striking resemblance to a disembodied Android monster. IVy, designed by Sunswift, a student-run non-profit at the University of New South Wales, reached its top speed using 1050 watts, about 400 watts less than the Sunraycer, and performed its record-smashing run without the 25kg battery it's usually packing. Faster runs have been clocked, including by IVy, but Guinness has not been on hand for confirmation.
Engadget's Darren Murph nabs Guinness World Record for most blog posts ever written!
We always knew Darren Murph had oodles of talent and was extremely prolific -- but now the man has got the paper to seriously prove it. Our own Mr. Murph was just awarded the Guinness World Record for most posts ever by a blogger. Not only is this a first for Darren, it's a first for Guinness as well, creating a new category for the group. Darren joined Engadget in July of 2006 (his first post is here), and almost four years to the day (when these numbers were submitted to Guinness) he'd arrived at 17,212 individual posts (since surpassed, of course). That's single posts on Engadget, Engadget HD, and Engadget Mobile, not duplicated work. We obviously couldn't be more proud of Darren and the work he's done (and continues to do) here, and we think this is an amazing feat for one writer. Of course, this is the guy who did 59 posts in a single day at CES 2008. Seriously. To put it in perspective, his current word count is at 3,389,148. That's War and Peace about six times over. We asked Darren if he had anything to say, and he gave a nod to Ryan Block (our former editor-in-chief) for giving him the chance to start here (and "not killing me when I passed him early on"). Darren also told us that he intends to defend the title for the rest of his natural life. So would-be competitors, you'd better get started... right... now.
Dutch gamers break world record by playing for 50 hours straight
A group of six Dutch gamers played Red Dead Redemption for 50 hours straight over the weekend, garnering them recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records. The event took place at a Dixons store in the Netherlands, where six players started out as competitors, but eventually decided to keep playing and get the world record together. All six will receive recognition from Guinness, a $1300 prize and a Twistdock connector from the event's sponsor. There are two things that make this stand out from your average weekend-long play session. First, we're talking 50 hours for all six gamers with no breaks. While that's definitely been done before (with less than healthy consequences), Guinness was there to put the official stamp on everything. So, until you get them to watch you play Final Fantasy XIII and all of its optional missions all in one sitting, this record will probably stand.
Modu, world's lightest cellphone, lands in UK
Another day, another... oh wait, what's this? The Modu phone has been an enigmatic figure in the mobile world, treading the precipice of vaporware for a while before finally launching in its home market of Israel last year and in a few more places around the world since then. Aiming to shake up the apparently stale mobile market, this minimalist take on the phone is no larger than the standard battery in your modern smartphone and gets its name from the modular "jackets" it can slip into. They furnish it with added functionality and buttons, while also sprinkling a bit of extra style on top as well. Slide past the break to learn more about this handset, the Modu 1, together with a few teasers about the upcoming touchscreen-based Modu 2.%Gallery-97442%%Gallery-97441%
Guinness: Modern Warfare 2 had biggest entertainment launch ever
There's been some dispute as to whether Modern Warfare 2 had the biggest first-day sales presence in the entire entertainment industry. Sure, its $401 million launch day revenue topped literally every other piece of entertainment media ever released, but in terms of units sold, it was surpassed by the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book and ticket sales for The Dark Knight. However, in an attempt to clear up any obscurity, the Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed that the game had the "Most Successful Entertainment Launch of All-Time." Though we shudder to think that we live in a world where success is measured in the amount of money earned, and not the number of lives a book, movie or game touches, we suppose congratulations are in order. So, congratulations, Modern Warfare 2! Guinness says you did it.
Assassin's Creed 2 enters Guinness World Records 2010
Yes, Assassin's Creed 2 has been awarded with a Guinness World Record. You might be surprised, however, to learn that it has nothing to do with how good the game is. No, Assassin's Creed 2 has been awarded the world record for "being the most cover-featured video game." In other words, it appeared on more magazine covers between April 2009 and April 2010 than any other game. According to the press release, Assassin's Creed 2 appeared on 127 covers throughout 32 different countries. Said Gaz Deaves, editor of the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition, "I'm sure plenty of commentators (including myself) would have predicted another well-known game winning the title instead, and this achievement is even more impressive in view of the other 2009 releases that Assassin's Creed 2 was able to beat." While it's an impressive feat by any standard -- and one Ubisoft marketing must be proud of -- we have to wonder if the record would hold up to closer scrutiny of games released before 2009. After all, there aren't as many gaming magazines around as there used to be, and a few games -- Street Fighter, Tomb Raider and Mortal Kombat come to mind -- appeared on quite a few magazine covers in the past. What do you say, Ubisoft competitors? Anyone want to do some research and challenge the record?
Star Trek Online fans set nerdiest world record ever
[Image via Times Online] While we're certain you well-adjusted lotharios spent your Valentine's Day basking in the adoration of your significant other, 99 Star Trek Online fans spent the day breaking the most unapologetically dorky world record known to mankind: The most costumed Star Trek fans ever gathered in a single place. We imagine they also broke the "most depressing way to spend a Valentine's Day" record as well, but we don't have any way of empirically proving that. No, you know what? We take back that mean thing we just said. 99 people chose to dress up like their favorite Star Trek character, suffered crummy weather to gather on London's Millennium Bridge, and celebrated this thing that they love. Hell, if we'd known Atari representatives were going to be there to distribute free lifetime subscriptions to the game, we would've happily helped to bring the grand total of participants into the triple digits.
Guinness World Records 2010: Gamer's Edition out today
What's the highest grossing arcade game of all time? What's the longest anyone's spent playing an MMO? You'd know the answers to these and many more questions about the extremes of the video game world if you had a copy of the Guinness World Records 2010: Gamer's Edition. Or if you clicked over to the press release announcing that the book is out today in the US and will be out January 21 in UK. If you'd like more peeks into the book before you decide whether to buy into this celebration of gaming's most excessive numbers (and most obvious marketing), Guinness posted some preview pages here. And if you want to beat that MMO record, it was 16,799 hours. In Runescape. Have "fun!"
New 'Pub Finder' app helps you find a Guinness
Some of us here at TUAW have been known to hoist a pint or two of a frosty beverage now and again. When doing so there's quite a few selections from which to choose to satisfy that urge for something cold and refreshing. One choice often made by me personally is Guinness. But what if I want a Guinness after a long day but can't figure out where to go and get one? Fortunately, there's an app for that: the Guinness Pub Finder.To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Guinness on September 24th they have created a new iPhone and iPod Touch app that will, according to the company, allow "consumers of legal drinking age across the US (to) join the celebration and more easily raise a toast with friends in the future." Which, of course, sounds great unless you happen to live in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas or West Virginia where the app is forbidden by law from working. Yeah, I don't get it either. Even if you can use this app for its intended purpose, it actually isn't just about helping you find a drink, although it does do that pretty well. Here's a breakdown of its main features:• Locate a Pint - uses GPS to locate the consumer and the pubs serving Guinness nearest to their current location. It then provides name, address and telephone number of the pub chosen, access to directions, and an email setup to invite friends to join.• Know Your Pint - provides a tutorial on the 6 Steps to Creating the Perfect Pint, and also includes a ruler that can be used to measure your pint's head.• Fun Extras – includes animated screensavers, a countdown clock to the "Arthur's Day" celebrations and a live feed of the latest news regarding the Guinness 250th Anniversary celebration• Responsible Drinking – Provides consumers with the DRINKiQ resource which shares important facts about alcohol to aid responsible choices. The app is US$1.99 in the iTunes store and its available now.
Italian gamers set new Guinness world record with Guitar Hero 5
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, Italy set a Guinness world record for "largest number of participants to play in a single Guitar Hero session over a 24-hour period." At the FNAC store, 594 people participated in a single, massive Guitar Hero 5 play session coordinated to celebrate the European release of Activision's latest music title. The record was set using Guitar Hero 5's Party Play mode, which supports drop-in and drop-out gameplay. There's no word on whether any Montagues or Capulets were harmed during the event, but as soon as we hear something, we'll let you know.
