house party
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Airbnb starts testing anti-party tech in the US and Canada
The company will look for signs of 'potentially high-risk reservations.'
Airbnb is banning party houses permanently
Airbnb is permanently banning all parties and events at host properties around the world.
Teenage Engineering’s IKEA collection lands in stores next month
If IKEA's Sonos speakers are a little bland for your taste, you might be happy to know that the FREKVENS line, a collaboration between IKEA and Teenage Engineering, arrives in February. The collection is meant to get funky house parties started, and it includes everything from speakers to spotlights, spill-resistant furniture and a raincoat -- all with Teenage Engineering's signature colorful quirkiness.
I Am Alive screens and trailer fight for survival
Now that you've seen how deadly you can be with a bow and arrow in Ubisoft's post-apocalyptic survival game, I Am Alive, we're convinced the final boss is Ted Nugent.
Xbox Live Arcade 'House Party 2012' begins Feb. 15
Microsoft plans to kick off the Xbox Live Arcade House Party for 2012 on February 15, releasing the four previously revealed titles back-to-back. At this time, Microsoft isn't revealing pricing nor the order in which it plans to release the titles. Yeah, our definition of "House Party Details" varies greatly.A company rep confirmed that the order listed on Xbox guru Major Nelson's site is simply alphabetized. So, beginning February 15, for some price and in some order, folks will be able to pick up Alan Wake's American Nightmare, the long-awaited I Am Alive, Nexuiz and EA's Warp.%Gallery-141956%
Alan Wake's American Nightmare, I Am Alive part of XBLA's 'House Party 2012' [update: Now with trailer!]
Microsoft is set to throw another House Party in 2012. In attendance will be Alan Wake's American Nightmare, EA's Warp, Nexuiz and the long-awaited I Am Alive. The trailer for the XBLA House Party promotion, which was apparently posted by accident, does not reveal any release dates. Out best guesstimate, if history serves, would be late February like last time. We've contacted Microsoft for launch details. Update: We snagged the trailer and have embedded it above! [Thanks, Joey]
Torchlight XBLA video to warm up your screen
With the XBLA debut of Torchlight now set for March 9, the first gameplay footage has been released. Apart from some necessary HUD changes, the game seems identical to its computer counterparts. Hit the break to watch the video, after which you can continue intensely staring at the nearest calendar.
Xbox Live House Party titles (Beyond Good & Evil HD, Torchlight) dated, priced
Just in the nick of time, Microsoft has announced dates and prices for its month-long Xbox Live Arcade House Party promotion. Things kick off on February 16 with Arc System Works' not-Contra side-scroller, Hard Corps: Uprising, priced at 1200 points ($15), followed by PopCap's Bejeweled Blitz on February 23, for 800 points ($10). Things really get moving on March 2, when Beyond Good & Evil HD is released for the eminently reasonable price of 800 points. The last two releases will undoubtedly gather the most attention: the excellent, heretofore computer-bound, dungeon crawler Torchlight will be released on March 9 for 1200 points, while Microsoft's Live-enabled Full House Poker makes its debut on March 16 for a surprisingly low 800 points.
Hard Corps: Uprising priced, screenshotted
Leading the charge on February 16 in XBLA's House Party promotion is Konami's "not-Contra" title, Hard Corps: Uprising, for 1200 MS points ($15). Alongside the news of the game's price, Konami dropped off a gaggle of new screenshots as well. No Bill or Lance to be found, unfortunately.
Runic hopeful Torchlight 2 will come to consoles
Runic Games' long-sought goal to port Torchlight to consoles will come to fruition when the game is released on Xbox Live Arcade as part of Microsoft's "House Party" promotion, beginning in mid-February. Depending on its success on the platform, Runic could look to quickly port the sequel to consoles, too, following its launch on PC this spring. "That will hopefully get to the consoles, as well," Runic CEO Max Schaefer told MTV Multiplayer. "Depending on how [Torchlight on XBLA] does ... we're excited to get Torchlight 2 onto consoles. Hopefully sooner than how long [Torchlight on XBLA] took. We've gone through the exercise, we know what it takes." Additionally, Schaefer priced Torchlight on XBLA at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), though a representative for the studio later said that that price was not official. "It will be set by Microsoft, not Runic Games," said the representative, "and we cannot confirm it."
Sony giving away PlayStation Move for block parties, along with completely wild freebies
Looking for a free PlayStation Move setup and a bunch of useless schwag? Too bad you didn't sign up for Sony's Ultimate Block Party. In the vein of the hilarious Windows 7 and TiVo promo giveaways of yesteryear, PlayStation's thrown a virtual bash that actually requires a modicum of interaction to properly enjoy this time. As this isn't a retail Move package, there's no traditional unboxing to be had, but soon-to-be-host Phil does show off a demo disk (with eight titles and uproarious setup guide) that we pray will be included in the final kit. Other than that, the promo box includes your standard array of party supplies -- PlayStation Move cocktail napkins, Sports Champions mini-frisbees, plastic soda can handles, and the gift that keeps on giving: a bag of Kevin Butler button badges. Because real boxers don't do Tupperware. Spot all the goodies at our source link.
Windows 7 party pack fittingly arrives on party-filled Cayman Islands
Well, would you look at that? With the launch of Microsoft's next operating system merely 21 days away (give or take a few hours based on time zone), the Redmond giant seems to be proactively sending out Win7 Launch Party packs already. The first "unboxing" we've seen comes to us from a most unusual spot, one that Microsoft wasn't actually equipped to ship to when the program first started. After a stern email or two sent over several bodies of water and through countless Stimulus-inspired road construction hang-ups, the bundle you see laid out above landed in the beautiful Cayman Islands. Within was a Steve Ballmer Signature Edition of Win7 (so, we're up to seven versions now?), a pack of Win7 playing cards, a poster, some napkins (to wipe the drool from your friends' faces after they experience Aero Shake for the first time) and even a puzzle. So, should we book a flight to Grand Cayman, Little Cayman or Cayman Brac? This is one shindig we definitely won't miss.[Thanks, Jared]
Video: Windows 7 launch party parody is bleeping genius
So by now you all know about Microsoft's painful, cringe-inducing Windows 7 party idea, and the accompanying goodie packs. What you might not have known is that Redmond also put together a 'Hosting Your Party' instructional video that blends all the worst parts of infomercials and cooking programs into one giant melange of awkward acting. Well, Cabel Sasser -- founder of Mac software maker Panic Inc -- has remixed said video, and the result is nothing short of a triumph. Journey past the break to see what we mean. [Via Mashable]
Microsoft handing out Windows 7 Launch Party host confirmations
"Congratulations." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Get Windows 7 Ultimate for free... by throwing a party
Dying to throw a party where everyone goes home alone? Microsoft's got you covered. Redmond's looking for Windows 7 fans to throw launch parties from October 22-29, and if you're chosen, you'll get a free "Signature Edition" of Windows 7 Ultimate, free party favors, and a chance to win a PC valued at $750. Sure, you'll have to suck up your pride and invite your friends to a party with a theme like "setting up with ease" or "family friendly fun," but if you're willing to throw a party where everyone is apparently supposed to sit around a laptop and then go out and buy something, well, we're guessing you don't have too much pride to begin with.[Thanks, Kevin]
DJ Mouse eliminates 'the science of mixing music' with a jog wheel
Looking for a way to liven up those house parties of yours? Winamp playlist feeling a little passe? iTunes "Genius" feature not really so smart? A company called DJ-Tech has got the answer, and it's the DJ Mouse. What separates an input device for turntablists from one for the unwashed masses, you ask? Is it the "high-definition jog wheel," the one that integrates with the Deckadance software to "let you spin platters intuitively?" Why, yes, it is! But it's also so much more. Don't forget the Scratch button, without which there would be no "direct scratch mode." As the ad says, you too can "become a DJ in one minute, without the science of mixing music." Available for $79 -- but make sure you don't go anywhere before you peep the truly amazing commercial after the break. And take that, Grandmaster Flash! [Via OhGizmo!]
MS sponsors family friendly Xbox house parties
In an effort to expand the Xbox 360's target demographic, recently Microsoft hired House Party, a marketing company that sets up house gatherings, to promote the Xbox and market its products. Word of mouth style. Around 1,000 pre-screened House Party participants hosted at-home events around the country with the only stipulation being that they had to invite at least ten other friends and family. For their Xbox party hosting, they were gifted $150 in Xbox goodies including a few games, some Microsoft points and peripherals. Not a bad deal."In order to get to the next 20 million [Xbox 360 sales], we need to get a new audience of women and teens," explained Microsoft's Heather Snavely. "We're going after them in ways that are different than ways we've done before." Let's party!
Ain't nothin' like a TiVo House Party
TiVo, always one to come up with clever promotions to publicize its products (remember the TiVo Ambassador, TiVo speed dating, and Father's Day at the ballpark?), has now launched a program for DVR-nuts to host their very own TiVo House Party. Obviously inspired by the Tupperware parties of yore (as well as the more modern "personal entertainment product" parties enjoyed by certain women), TiVo's version comes in two flavors: a so-called "TiVo Tasting Party" for adults and a "KidZone Party" to expose your children's friends to even more brain-rotting boob tube. Not everyone is invited to the the party, though; you have to fill out an application and get accepted into the program in order to get the go-ahead from TiVo, which earns you some nature of special programming (ads for TiVo, perhaps?), undefined "special offers," and tips on making your House Party a real rager. Since the House Party website also organizes other corporate-sponsored get-togethers, you might be able to turn the night into something of a House Party pub crawl: start out with a little TiVo action, move on to a Fear Factor shindig, and end the night kicking back with other Martha Stewart lovers at -- yes, this really exists -- a Kmart House Party. Thank you, Corporate America, for turning our social lives into a series of awkward, product-pushing cocktail gatherings.[Via Zatz Not Funny]
